The world is facing some scary times.

And here at home, prices are skyrocketing. Going to the grocery store sometimes takes all the extra money a family might have.

With the holidays approaching, that can mean fewer gifts for our children.

But one teenager is out to make sure that no child in his Oklahoma town goes without a present at Christmas.

Reed Marcum said he had always been shy. He also dealt with anxiety, and knew what it was like to feel alone at school.

So when Reed was 11, he heard that a student in his fifth-grade class wouldn’t have much of a Christmas because his family had little money, so he immediately went to his mom with an idea.

He came home and said, ‘Mom, can we do (a toy drive)?’” said Angie Miller.

Immediately onboard with the idea, his mom posted a video on Facebook, asking their community to help with a toy drive, which Reed decided would be his project for 4H.

“I wanted to make sure that everyone in my class had a toy under the tree and that no kid got left out,” said Reed, now 18.

Reed Marcum said he’s always the first volunteer to greet families as they come through the toy line. Photo courtesy of Angie Miller

Reed said he and his mom had struggled to afford Christmas before.

“My parents divorced when I was 6 or 7, and it was just me and mom at home, and we didn’t have a lot of money,” Reed said. “Other family members helped us with Christmas that year, and the community rallied around us with food and such.”

“When I was 11, I wanted to pay that forward,” he said.

Reed’s mom said he loved helping others. “He has an old soul,” Angie said.

The toy drive was a hit, with the town rallying together to donate toys and help hand them out. Reed was able to use his stepfather Michael Miller’s law office as a place to handout the 1,000 toys and treat bags. 

I knew we had to keep going because there was such a need,” Reed said.

Now, seven years later, Reed’s 4-H Toy Giveaway is being held today, and has grown to include more than 200 volunteers that pass out more than 10,000 gifts to children in need.

In total, Reed said his giveaway has handed out more than 54,000 toys. It has transitioned into a drive-through event, that allows each child to pick a toy, pajamas, gloves, hats and some clothing. Each item is donated by individuals or purchased with funds donated from area businesses and local residents.

“We have walls of toys lined up on each side of the cars, and kids tell us which ones to grab as their parents drive them through the line,” Reed said. “Seeing the happy looks on their faces is always the best part.”

Reed is now attending Oklahoma State University and is majoring in pre-law and sociology. But, he never forgets the toy drive and the reason he started this as a small boy – to make sure no child feels sad on Christmas morning.

Reed Marcum with some of the toys donated by people in McAlester, Okla., for the annual 4-H Toy Giveaway he started when he was 11. Photo courtesy of Angie Miller

And he means that – even during tragedy, his family makes sure to keep the toy drive going. They find solace, they say, in helping others.

In 2021, the family lost Reed’s 30-year-old brother, Sgt. Miles Tarron, two weeks before the toy drive was to start. And yet, each family member showed up on the day of the toy drive, ready to hand out toys.

“It’s too important — there’s no way I wouldn’t be there,” Reed said. “Christmas is stressful for a lot of families. The toy drive makes it a little easier for them.”

Reed said that once, when he was in ninth grade, he saw a family with a few children show up at the toy drive. As they picked out toys, Reed said he realized the children weren’t wearing shoes.

“It was cold outside, so some of our volunteers bought them socks and shoes and jackets, and that’s when we knew we should also hand out clothing every year,” he said. “When you see how grateful the parents look, you know it’s all worthwhile.”

Watch below for a look at this amazing teenager and how he is helping change the world, one toy at a time.

Source: Washington Post