When Kyla Brady's mother, Kristin, worked at the YWCA Bradford homeless shelter, she would often hear her mother speak of little children who had very few clothes — and fewer toys.
Kyla Brady showed compassion beyond her years when she decided to do something extraordinary. She donated all of the toys received at her 9th birthday party Saturday to children at the YWCA homeless shelter on West Corydon Street.
On Monday, Kyla Brady, along with her mother and aunt, Amber Frontino, delivered a carload of toys to the shelter. The toys were provided by 20 children who attended Kyla Brady's pool party at the Bradford Family YMCA. Each child who attended was asked to bring gifts for either a boy or girl of any age.
"I wanted to donate toys for kids (at the shelter) when they have birthdays, because if their parents don't have enough money they can give them these," Kyla Brady explained while dropping off the gifts at the YWCA.
Frontino, who is the current manager of the shelter, said the toys will make a big difference to children and their families who sometimes arrive at the facility with nothing more than the clothes on their backs.
Vanessa Castano, executive director of the YWCA, said the toys, as well as new clothes for shelter children, can make a big difference to a youngster who has had his or her world turned upside down. Castano said it can be a challenge for the non-profit shelter to come up with extra gifts for children because finances are needed to ensure families have their basic needs met.
"We're really fortunate to get some (donations) … we try to be creative on how we address" requests for gifts and parties for shelter children, she said. "Sometimes we have items that are here (from previous donations) that might match an age group."
She said the gifts, when available, are also given to children to cheer them up when they arrive at the shelter.
"Sometimes we have kids who are experiencing traumatic things," Castano remarked. "And when people come into the shelter, they can't bring a lot because we don't have storage space."
She said space that is available has to be used for the family's clothes and toiletry items.
"So to be able to give a child something they can hold onto (a toy) is very important," Castano added. "It's incredibly giving of Kyla to consider doing something like this."
Kyla Brady, who is in the third grade at School Street Elementary School, came up with the idea for donating gifts when speaking with her mom about what she wanted for her birthday.
"Shortly after Christmas we were talking about her birthday and she said she really didn't need anything because she got a lot for Christmas," Kristin Brady said of her daughter. "She wanted to do something for someone else for her birthday."
Castano said the shelter would welcome other new toys and clothes, or gift cards, to help children in the shelter. New clothes are especially important for children to wear when they attend school.
"There's a stigma for sure" for children who have very little to wear and may not want to tell others they live in a shelter, Castano shared.
On a final note, when Kyla Brady was asked what she wanted to do when she becomes an adult, she responded, "Hmmm, I kind of want to work here" at the shelter.
In related news, Castano said the shelter is expanding its services to a nearby home that is currently under renovation. She said the space is needed as the shelter often has a waiting list.
"Once that is completed (in a couple of weeks) we'll have space there for six people which could be one family, or a mixture" of individuals, she explained. "We need to furnish pretty much the entire home."
Items needed include new or gently used twin beds and mattresses with thick, plastic covers, bedding, pillows, a dining room set, couches, bath towels and kitchenware. Also needed are cleaning supplies, detergents and paper products.
For for more information, contact the YWCA at 368-4235.
Source: www.bing.com
