From helping 15 people in need 34 years ago to helping up to 1,300 people, Pastor David Meeks and the World Outreach Revival Center have donated over 2,000 hours of their time during the holidays to give presents to those in Pearl River County who cannot afford them.

At first, the church collected toy donations through, what Meeks called at the time, “The Love Center.” However, a couple of decades later, they decided to join the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program to reach children in the entire county and have done so for 18 years.

“The idea of helping those that need it most and putting smiles on childrens’ faces when they see presents under the Christmas tree grew on us,” Meeks said. “We just kept praying and soon we were watching miracles happen right in front of our eyes.”

From Picayune to Poplarville, Toys for Tots donation boxes were placed in businesses, government facilities and organizational buildings to collect toys that would change the holiday spirit of families in need.

Since in November the effort has collected hundreds of brand new toys, Meeks said.

Earlier this week, the toy distribution began, allowing people that fit the criteria to select multiple toys for their children. Theresa Milar, who has volunteered for the local Toys for Tots for 22 years, said everyone that comes in has hundreds of toys to choose from in a well-organized manner.

Each table in the toy distribution site was separated by the age and gender of the children with a number of items that can be chosen from that table. Milar said it wasn’t the number of gifts they had to choose from that shocked the people they served, but how much they got to take home.

“Some people walk out of here crying because they thought they were going to come in, grab one present and then leave, but that is never the case,” Milar said.

The toy distribution site even had a room full of smaller gifts to put in each child’s stocking so “everyone has the full Christmas experience,” Milar said.

To sign up, participants must show proper identification and provide the age and number of children they have. During the interview process, multiple restaurants around the area provide free lunch to applicants. Those restaurants include Subway in Nicholson, Little Caesers, Dominoes, Frostop, Kellies Poboy, Logan’s Famous Chicken and Tenders, Applebees, Nick’s Deli, Dairy Queen, Papa Johns, Pauls Pastry and many more, Meeks said.

After the application process, participants went through an orientation at the World Outreach Revival Center, where a Christmas play was performed and after that, the recipients received their vouchers.

“Jesus is in all of our lives and that should be felt all the time, but especially during the holidays,” Meeks said.

When it’s time to select the toys, participants are accompanied by one of the Toy for Tots volunteers, holding a large trash bag to collect all the presents. Milar said the trash bags were graciously donated to them by the city of Picayune.

“Each person will leave with around 5 to 7 gifts, which surprises so many people. Seeing their smiling faces as they leave is why we all continue to do this year after year,” Meeks said.