Nashville Baptist Toy Store still meeting needs after 56 years
- Dec 21, 2007 - comment
NASHVILLE — The location has changed over the years, but the premise of the Nashville Baptist Association Toy Store remains the same — to help provide Christmas presents for needy children and families.
“Providing Christmas for our neighborhood families” is the theme of this year’s Toy Store as it has been for the past 56 years, according to Debi Cabello of the NBA staff.
The Toy Store was once located at Woodcock Baptist Church, but is now in its 19th year at Shelby Avenue Baptist Church here.
Last year the NBA Toy Store served 1,660 children ranging in age from birth to 18, from 660 families. More than 7,500 toys were distributed, along with bags of candy, fruit, stocking stuffers, and wrapping paper.
This year’s numbers will be about the same, says Pat Malone, director of the NBA Toy Store and a member of Haywood Hills Baptist Church, Nashville.
At one time the Toy Store helped more than 1,000 families each year, but changing demographics have leveled the numbers off, Malone observed.
Still, there are a lot of families and needs to be met. The NBA Toy Store is one of seven toy stores in Nashville that provides toys for low-income families.
Working in cooperation with the Toys for Tots program, the NBA store services families in the 37206 area code.
Malone said families are given an opportunity in early fall to sign up for the program.
Records are kept on computer and most of the work is done by Jimmy Morrissey, a member of Grace Baptist Church, Nashville. Participating families must give their social security number. Numbers are cross-referenced to make sure families are being served by only one of the seven stores.
Morrissey’s computer records also helps track who will be shopping each of the four days the store is actually open for mothers (and some dads) to select presents for their children. Those records allow volunteers to make sure appropriate toys are available for selection.
Carolyn Demonbreun, a former director, has been involved with the Toy Store for 49 years, primarily, because she loves the Lord and little children.
She remembers when the toys were mainly old dolls with new clothing made by volunteers or refurbished used toys.
Now, every toy is new and come from varying price ranges.
Of course, for those families who shop, the toys are free. Each parent can select one major toy, three minor toys, a book, two stocking stuffers, and candy/ fruit for each child.
Toys come from a variety of sources, but many come into the system from churches in Nashville Baptist Association.
Hundreds of volunteers also work each year and many of them come back year after year.
Morrissey has been with the program for 12 years. “It is contagious for those who work in it,” he said.
Malone agreed that the Toy Store “gets in your blood.” She has been involved for about 30 years.
“We’re like a big family,” she said in referring to the volunteers. “Sometimes we just see each other once a year.”
Malone stressed that the toy store is missions in action.
“You don’t have to go to Africa or Honduras to see poverty. It is right here at home.”
Missions at home is what Malone stresses to the many Girls in Action and Royal Ambassadors who bring toys to the store and attend open house each year prior to the beginning of the Toy Store.
“We stress to them that when you give something you get more in return than what you gave,” she said.
Involving the children in the Toy Store is critical to its future, Malone added.
“You have to stir the interest in kids or you won’t have the tradition in years to come. They have to see the need for missions,” she stressed.
Malone observed that the volunteers give because God gave the greatest gift of all — His Son, Jesus Christ.
“We need to help those in need. To whom much is given, much is expected,” Malone reminded.
The Toy Store is not just about gifts. There is a spiritual dimension, Malone stressed.
She noted that a volunteer prays with each shopper prior to going into the rooms to select toys.
Volunteers also find out if people are churched or unchurched and find out if they have special needs, she added.
She noted that a volunteer prays with each shopper prior to going into the rooms to select toys.
The personal touch is important for Demonbreun.
“I love that we can have a personal witness for the Lord Jesus Christ to each man or woman who comes,” she said.
Demonbreun also noted many people have accepted Jesus as Savior as a direct result of the Toy Store over the years. “It is a great, great ministry.”
In addition to salvation experiences, volunteers can tell story after story how God has provided just what was needed for a particular family, Malone said.
It’s not unusual to see parents and volunteers crying together after such a special moment, Malone said.
Such occurrences happen over and over again, year after year, and that is what keeps many people coming back to volunteer even though the Toy Store is draining, both physically and emotionally.
“But it is draining in a good sense,” Malone stressed. “When you see how appreciative the people are, it’s all worthwhile.”
This article is reprinted from the December 19, 2007, issue of Baptist & Reflector, the newsjournal of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.