North Gwinnett CO-OP : Santa Shop

Every parent wants Christmas morning to feel like magic.

This past Christmas, thanks to the generosity of Gwinnett Church Transit, that magic came wrapped in over 460 toys—valued at over $7,500—all donated through a Be Rich Toy Drive to benefit families at North Gwinnett Co-Op.

These gifts were chosen by middle schoolers shopping for kids their own age and younger—so the gifts are what a 10-year-old actually wants, not what an adult assumes a 10-year-old wants. And the students walked away with something too: practice in thinking beyond themselves.

Those toys filled the Co-Op's annual Santa Shop, where its thrift store transforms into a Christmas toy store for the season. Families come through with shopping carts, moving slowly down the aisles, picking out presents and picturing their kids' faces on Christmas morning. 

Families were met with more than they expected, and it showed. Happy tears, big smiles, and the relief in realizing Christmas is covered.

Be Rich volunteers came out to make it happen, from the logistical details to the relational ones, like helping parents carry bags and boxes to the car.

These are the moments people don’t always see—parents catching their breath before driving home to hide gifts in closets and under beds, overwhelmed with the gift of giving such a personal Christmas to their kids. 

Because Transit students shopped, gathered, and gave with purpose, and because Be Rich volunteers walked alongside parents the whole way, 721 children were served through the Santa Shop and hundreds of families were able to have that moment this year.

The Santa Shop isn’t just about handing someone a toy. It’s about handing a parent their role as the magic-maker. 

Thank you for making that handoff possible.