Oakland's Forever Howard Foundation brings Christmas joy to children in need
OAKLAND -- Every year too many children across the United States wake up Christmas morning without any gifts under the tree.
The Forever Howard Foundation, founded in Oakland and serving the Bay Area, Sacramento and Stockton, is helping to fix that.
The foundation was started after gun violence in Oakland claimed the life for Charles "Chuck" Wesley Crutcher in Oakland in 2019.
"The day that I received the phone call was one of the worst days ever," said Nicole Howard, founder of Forever Howard Foundation. "You never want to hear of a friends or family member to succumb to death in that type of form."
Howard said her cousin Charles was a giving man and did what he could to help families and children in need. She wanted to make sure his legacy lives on.
Demeshi Woods, a volunteer for the foundation, is helping with that this holiday season too.
"It means everything to help families," said Woods. "I was in the store I was hearing parents saying they needed a little help or didn't have it to do. So this little help will take a little stress off of them."
For years Woods has been committed to her community to make sure Bay Area kids have that Christmas cheer. Since July, Woods says she's been picking up gifts, toys and stockings to prepare for the foundation's annual toy drive.
Woods transformed her living room into Santa's workshop, with hundreds of Christmas stockings full of toys and for kids.
"[Charles] would help me with my kids when they were little," Woods said. "If I was in need, he would give back to me and help me and other people in the community. He was always there for everyone."
Ellen Cooper's grandson wouldn't have had any gifts to open this Christmas if it weren't for the Forever Howard Foundation.
"It's been a tremendous blessing to me," Cooper said. "It brings joy because I'm not able to do nothing for my grandson and that hurts."
Cooper has spinal stenosis and several other health issues that prevents her from working and she says her workers compensation ended months ago.
"[Forever Howard Foundation] reached out to me when I didn't have food to eat and toys for my grandson the last few Christmases and they said they're bring toys this Christmas also," she said.
Assisting and uplifting communities is the goal for the foundation and its reach extends far beyond Christmas.
Throughout the year the organization hosts backpack giveaways, give meals and food to families and makes sure other needs in the community are met. Howard says they even deliver toys to families who don't have transportation to get to the toy drive.
Forever Howard is all ways looking for donations of toys. If you'd like to donate go to Forever Howard Foundation.
The toy drive is Saturday December 17th from 12:30-until the last toy is given out. The even will be held at 10501 Foothill Blvd in Oakland, CA.