In elementary school, Lily Killar didn’t understand why toy collections were needed during the holiday season. She asked her mother why so many children needed presents donated to them when Santa Claus would be visiting them on Christmas Eve.
“I didn’t know what to tell her,” said Traci Killar, Lily’s mother. “What do you say?”
Traci, a former Christmas drive coordinator for Catholic Charities, eventually told her daughter that many children didn’t have as many family members as others. The donated presents were needed to supplement the gifts received by Santa.
Since then, Lily has worked to make sure no child is left wanting on Christmas. In fifth grade, the Slingerlands resident began collecting toys for children in need who participated in a non-profit art organization started by the Killar family in Albany’s south end.
“The thing that hits me most, every year at my house and my friends, we always have stuff to open,” said Lily, now 16. “There are people who wake up and there’s nothing for them to open, and it’s just like any other day. It’s not special.”
The Killar’s no longer have their non-profit, but Lily continues her toy drive for city children in need. She estimates she’s collected about 4,000 presents for about 400 families over the years.
“Every year, the number of kids increases,” she said.
The presents do not get donated to a specific organization, but are delivered by Lily herself with her mom as chauffeur. Some of the families the Killar’s have worked with in the past, and others have their names submitted by friends or community members.
“We have a contact who lives in the South End and knows a lot of the families,” said Traci. “Lily makes the connection with her each year to get additional names.”
Lily collects more than 500 presents each year, along with monetary donations.
Each family submits a wish list that also states the gender and age of each child. If some kids are looking for a specific toy, Lily uses donated funds to go shopping in order to make sure the child gets their wish.
Since Lily’s efforts are not connected with an agency, Traci said some people are worried about donating because they can’t be positive where the toys or funds are going. This often makes collecting harder. However, for the same reason Lily is able to be a bit more lax with her donations because there are no set rules in place.
For those with special needs, a little more attention is given than would be with other typical holiday drives.
“Last year there was a mom with six kids whose husband had just been murdered, and it was the first christmas without their dad,” said Traci. “Lily was able to decide she wanted to go above and beyond for that family. This year we have a 14-year-old girl who is bed ridden, so Lily will make sure she will get things she can use and also helps the mom.”
In such instances, a tree and Christmas dinner for the family can be purchased along with the toys. The children may also receive toys that are more personalized.
Each child gets about five to six gifts. The presents are also delivered to parents early so they can wrap them themselves and decide if they want them to be labeled from themselves or Santa. Lily rarely gets to meet the children she donates presents to, but she said she’s fine with that because knowing is the same as seeing.
Families also are rarely receiving double presents from other toy drives.
“We haven’t seen a lot of that,” said Traci. “There’s never a lack of people who need during the Christmas season, so that hasn’t been a problem.”
The donation period has nearly ended for this year. Those wishing to donate toys or monetary funds can still do so until Friday, Dec. 13, by e-mailing Lily at [email protected]. She also asks that people keep her in mind for next year’s charitable donations.
“We’re such a small town, but we’re just a few miles away from such need,” said Traci. “A lot of people understand that and help us each year.”