Today and tomorrow, Room In The Inn hosts an annual holiday extravaganza that we call “More Than a Toy.” Launched 19 years ago by Andee Johnson, then a student at Harpeth Hall, this event allows participants to shop for toys with points they have earned by participating in our adult education program. Volunteers help to choose and wrap the brand-new toys and gifts, donated throughout the year. Then Room In The Inn provides free shipping to each person’s children or grandchildren for the holidays.
This program provides an incredible opportunity to participate in the holiday giving season for folks who may not have been able to otherwise. More importantly, though, it creates an opportunity to reconnect.
The experience of homelessness looks different for everyone. For some, the threads that connect us to friends and family are strained or even snapped in the process. A simple act of generosity, especially one that arrives unexpectedly, can open the door to healing and reconciliation.
One of the most humbling things to witness each year has been our guests who do not have children themselves. People will often come to our Campus store offering to donate the points they have earned so that others can participate. They want to make sure no parent or grandparent is left out of the chance to give.
In the classroom where we will have cookies, sing carols, and wrap presents with our guests today, there is a tangible sense of hope. We share memories, reflect on how big our kids or grandkids have gotten, which books we used to read to them when they were little, and how they’re doing in school. We remember who we are to our family, and what they mean to us. Beyond the soccer balls, puzzles, and games, this moment of reconciliation is the greatest gift. More Than a Toy reminds us that giving is an important part of life for everyone – often offered most sincerely by those you might least expect.
