CCSC's 45th Jingle Bell Express community event brought Christmas joy to 2,673 underserved children from 1,050 low-income Houston families struggling to make ends meet.

Parents picking up toys and books for their children shared how happy their kids would be on Christmas morning and what the H-E-B gift card would mean for their family's Christmas dinner.

Maria C., a single mom of an 11-year-old girl, chose art supplies for her creative daughter's Jingle Bell gift. "This is wonderful!" Maria said. "It's a big help for single moms. And I'm going to use the gift card for Christmas dinner. My daughter loves ham and mashed potatoes, maybe asparagus. This will make it a lot easier."

CCSC's Jingle Bell Committee, donors, supporters and volunteers made this holiday joy happen. Work began in August and peaked last week when enthusiastic volunteers assembled toys, bundled books, made gift bags, and put those bags into the vehicles of grateful families during the two-day drive-thru community event. In total, 1,700 elf hours were generously given by almost 400 volunteers.

"Joy is the best word to describe this experience," Jingle Bell Committee Chair Beth Cooper said. "Christmas is such a joyful time and the look of joy on our clients' faces when they pick up their presents is what makes it so worthwhile."

Volunteer Jack McDonald, 11, agrees. "It's fun doing this," he said. "It's good to help people." Jack's parents, Jason and Carolyn, first volunteered at Jingle Bell together in 2009, when they were dating, and they love sharing the experience with their children. "We like to show them the joy of serving and CCSC makes it so easy to serve alongside our kids," Carolyn said.

CCSC organizes Jingle Bell Express, but the joy is made possible through monetary, toy and book donations from CCSC's member churches and their schools, community supporters, foundations, groups and individual donors.

"This year every item on our Amazon wish list was purchased. We are so thankful for our member church toy drives and our community donors," CCSC Youth Services Manager Sarah Hans said. "And I was blown away by the enthusiasm and energy of our volunteers. Our supporters and volunteers make Christmas happen for these families in need."

Special thanks to the Ladies for Literacy Guild - Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation for their generous book donation and to the Ladies of Houston Charity for their bighearted toy donation. Appreciation also to our site host, the congregation and staff of Bellaire United Methodist Church.

BIG kudos to our hundreds of volunteer elves, especially our hardworking Jingle Bell Express Committee: Beth Cooper (chair), Tricia Chio, Cecile Deutschen, Bonnie Gervais, Nancy Gill, Keli Luce, Claire McShane, Lindsay Mericli, Melissa Patin, Megan Richardson, Brooke Shelton, Kathy Twiford, Jenny Vestal and Steve Smith. Shout-out to Chet Cooper and Annette Tarver. Thank you, all!