Abby and her family
Nine year-old Abby is in the 4th grade and lives over an hour away from New Bedford.
For the second year in a row, Abby asked friends coming to her birthday party not to bring her any gifts. Instead, she wanted them to bring new things that she could donate to GiftsToGive.
Abby likes to bring everything down to the mill with her sister, Maggie. Maggie is in the 2nd grade and just turned seven.
With their parents, and their great aunt and their cousin Ashley, who is studying education at Franklin Pierce in NH and will become a teacher, the sisters spend the day at the mill inspecting, cleaning and organizing toys for children less fortunate.
Abby’s Great Aunt Jackie has been volunteering at GiftsToGive for a few years. When Aunt Jackie told Abby about GiftsToGive, Abby asked if she could “donate” her birthday. Dad told us that “Abby and the entire extended family always feel great after a trip to mill and now it has become a family and a birthday tradition.”
GiftsToGive’s CEO and Founder Jim Stevens said – “We’re so proud of Abby (and Maggie) and we’re so grateful to Aunt Jackie and Cousin Ashley and Mom and Dad for sharing their values as a family. For a nine year-old to have a two-year tradition with something as important as her birthday, inspires us to be better and do more.”