TURNERS FALLS — Six years ago, when David Shea found himself and his family homeless and living in a local hotel with dozens of other families during the holidays, he decided he had to do something to make all of the children’s lives a little better. So, he found a way to collect 300 stuffed animals for them to open on Christmas.
The next year, after he’d found his way out of the hotel and homelessness, he started True Christmas, which recently became a 501c3 nonprofit, and it has grown each year since the first one.
“My mission, the nonprofit’s mission, is to make Christmas magical — one child at a time,” Shea said.
And that is exactly what he has done. Last year, 117 children received gifts for Christmas, and this year, more than 145 will, he said.
“We try to make Christmas wonderful for the children and their families,” he said. “We do as much as we can by providing stockings filled with surprises, presents, and sometimes we can even provide a tree, decorations or dinner. True Christmas not only wants children to have a nice Christmas, but parents to not have the stress that goes with financial troubles.
“I want parents to worry about nothing but getting their lives in order,” he added.
Shea said he spent a lot of time in foster care as a child, so many of his Christmases were difficult.
With a lot of hard work, Shea has grown True Christmas so that it is run much like Adopt-A-Family. He works with social service organizations and hopes to add many more as time goes on.
Shea sits with every family that applies and learns about not only what toy a child might want, but their needs, too.
“I want this to be very personal,” he said. “I don’t want kids just receiving a box with ‘something’ in it. … (And) I don’t have an age limit for kids. If I see a 21-year-old who is home from college and he or she needs something, I try to make sure they get it.”
Shea said he hears from people who are in need every day this time of the year.
“The work I’m doing is priceless when I see the magic it creates,” said the full-time nurse who works up to 50 hours a week. “My 17-year-old son lives with me, and he helps me a lot. He can see the joy it brings to others.”
Shea, a father of one son and two grown daughters, said it’s “all about the kids.” He said every family has a story, and you can’t always tell that someone is struggling when observing from the outside.
“We don’t know people’s struggles,” he said. “And we should never judge.”
There is an application process to becoming a receiving family, which includes proof of income and need.
Shea not only accepts toys and clothing, but money and gift cards. He holds several fundraisers throughout the year, and he pays for a lot out of his own pocket.
When someone decides to take on a family in need, they can spend as much or as little as they want.
“It just has to come from the heart,” he said.
There are collection boxes located at Planet Fitness, the Dollar General stores in Greenfield and Bernardston, The Hair Studio on Main Street in Greenfield, Dips and Clips on Federal Street in Greenfield and Pine Ridge Estates on Bradford Drive in Greenfield. The deadline is Dec. 17, so Shea is hoping people take action soon.
He said people can also drop off items at 39 Grove St. in Turners Falls, or contact him at 413-824-4170 or truechristmas.organization@gmail.com.