Holiday Drive 2023: An Update from Cobbs Gives Back and CAC Cares

We are thrilled to share the outstanding success of this year’s holiday drive organized by Cobbs Gives Back and CAC Cares! Individual offices orchestrated holiday drives across various locations, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Chattanooga, Denver, Houston, New York, and more. Collectively, our offices raised over $10,000 for charity, gathered and donated hundreds of gifts, and partnered with eight different charities to distribute gifts and toys to children in need within the local communities.

We are immensely grateful to all who supported and made contributions to our holiday drives. The responsiveness and generosity of our teams made this holiday drive even more successful than the last. We can’t wait to see what next year brings!

To see the full list of our standout partners and read more details about their local impact, read below.

Dallas –  Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County

CAC Dallas participated in the Collin County Child Advocacy Center’s Holiday Shop on December 6, 2023.  The Holiday Shop is a place where caregivers are given the chance to “shop” for their children at no charge, allowing them the joy of presenting their children with holiday gifts. CAC Dallas sorted 300+ toys into age group/type of toy and broke down all the boxes to be recycled. 

About: Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization providing hope to children and families victimized by child abuse. Our proven approach brings experts together under one roof to ensure safety and justice for children. We are the only agency in our community offering services critical to healing, free for life.

Birmingham – aTeam Ministries

The Birmingham office partnered with aTeam Ministries, a nonprofit here in Birmingham, AL, to “adopt” a family with a child battling a severe pediatric illness.  We were able to provide gifts and additional seasonal cheer to ease the financial pressure for parents working to make this holiday season special for their child battling cancer or other serious illnesses. 

The Birmingham office raised over $3000 for this family.

About: ATeam ministries offer spiritual, financial and emotional support to children and families on the pediatric cancer journey. You can find information about aTEAM, below or on their website.

Atlanta –  Empty Stocking Fund

The Empty Stocking Fund (ESF) brings joy to the lives of disadvantaged children by providing toys and gifts during the holiday season and other core essential supplies throughout the year to support positive social and emotional development and academic success. 

The Atlanta office collected toys and funds for the organization totaling $2,374.40.

Denver – Lasley Elementary School

Lasley is a Jefferson County Public School in Lakewood, Colorado. This elementary is where a majority of the students of Emory Elementary (our former school of choice before dissolvement) have integrated into. The Denver office set up an Amazon Wishlist drive with Lasley Elementary School and collected gifts and supplies for the students. For many of them, this might be the only gift they receive. 

The Denver office also chose to support a family from the school to receive special attention this drive. This family is a group of 5 Lasley students being raised by a single grandmother after the passing of their father this school year. They requested gift cards to help the family as well.

The Denver office collected gifts and funds for Lasley Elementary Students totaling $1,924.00. Twenty-eight articles of winter clothing for children were donated and the nominated family received a new bike and Malibu Barbie House requested by the children, in addition to $400 in gift cards. 

Pacific NW – Ronald McDonald House & Toys for Tots

Ronald McDonald House Houston offers a home away from home providing care, compassion and hope to families with seriously ill children being treated in Texas Medical Center member institutions. They offer a safe and loving environment to all families of children facing a life-threatening condition, including those in need of an organ transplant or fighting cancer. Our Northwest offices provided $980 in gift and cash donations.

Houston – Ronald McDonald House

The Houston office participated in the Ronald McDonald House’s Santa Shop Annual Toy Drive. The RMH Santa Shop plays a vital role in providing free holiday toys for nearly 400 families across its locations. To put it in perspective, this means supporting around 700 children, from preemies to 18-year-olds, including siblings of those receiving medical care. The holiday season can be especially challenging for families at the Ronald McDonald House Houston. They find themselves far from friends and family while caring for a child with significant medical issues. Shopping for holiday gifts can further contribute to their financial and emotional stress. The Santa Shop, however, offers a solution by allowing RMH residents to “shop” for gifts for their family members at RMH’s on-site Holiday Market. Dedicated elves then wrap these gifts, delivering them to each family’s door on Christmas morning.

The Houston office collected 50 gifts and gift cards totaling $1,500 in cash donations.

New York – NY Coalition for the Homeless

A staggering 30,000 children will spend this holiday season homeless, sleeping in New York City’s vast shelter system. The Coalition for the Homeless is the nation’s oldest advocacy and direct service organization helping homeless individuals and families. They believe that affordable housing, sufficient food and the chance to work for a living wage are fundamental rights in a civilized society. Since its inception in 1981, the Coalition has worked through litigation, public education and direct services to ensure that these goals are realized.

The New York office chose to support them this holiday season through a toy drive through Amazon wishlists. 

Chattanooga –  Northside Neighborhood House

NNH provides education and assistance to Chattanoogans living north of the Tennessee River, in Hamilton County. NNH serves our community through direct assistance, education, three thrift store locations, the Coffee Community Collective (in Soddy Daisy), and CommUNITY School programs.

Each year, they host a “Santas Workshop” event where families get to “shop” for toys, coats, books, etc. NNH also provides food assistance for families to enjoy over the holiday. CAC members were challenged to donate.