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Tonya Papanikolas Reporting For kids who are spending the holidays in foster care, Christmas can be tough because the children often don't have a lot of money to go out and buy gifts for their families.
Several organizations are teaming up to offer the kids some Christmas hope for the 7th year in a row.
Christmas Box International, Salt Lake County Youth Services and the Utah Foster Care foundation all host what's known as the Christmas Store.
It's made up of items all donated by the community.
Elise Hill has five children she's adopted out of foster care. Buying gifts for them to give away at Christmas can be tough.
Elise Hill, Foster Parent: It's just nice to have that extra resource so they can give something to their birth family. It just gives them that sense of pride and accomplishment that a lot of times they've been missing up to that point."
The Christmas Store provides that help. For three days in December, children in foster care can come out and pick Christmas gifts for their biological and foster families.
Tammy McPherson of Salt Lake County Youth Services: "They might be picking out games or things for mom and dad, cooking utensils or things like that. If the kids are picking out for mom and dad and teenagers, it's a little harder for them to find things."
Hill says amidst all the great gifts, the kids think of others before themselves.
Elise Hill: "Our daughter Xena, who was 5 the first time we took her through, cried after we left because she got to give it to her birth mom, and she was so excited."
In addition to gifts, the kids also get an outfit for themselves, pajamas, toiletries, backpacks, blankets and stuffed animals.
According to Hill, even things as simple as combs and toothbrushes are a favorite.
The Utah Foster Care foundation and Salt Lake County Youth Services are currently taking donations for the store. They say what they really need are teenage items and gifts for parents.
Those who run the store want the kids to have everything they need... and the experience of giving.
Elise Hill: "It's neat that it teaches them the true meaning of Christmas."
Christmas Store organizers hope to serve up to 800 kids in foster care.
The store opens in two weeks, and they still need a lot of donations. A full listing of the Christmas Store wish list can be found on the Utah Foster Care website.
