BRINGING JOY & GIVING TOYS
Heart of Christmas distributes gifts to 500 homeless students in Hampton Roads
Diana Barrett knows what it’s like to not get Christmas presents.
When she was young, a recession left her parents with the difficult decision to forego gifts for a couple of Christmases. Since then, she has worked to make sure other children don’t have to feel the way she did.
This year, with the help of her elves, Barrett’s Heart of Christmas program will provide gifts and care packages to 500 middle and high school students who are homeless in Hampton Roads. These children are often living in shelters, on friends’ couches, in homes separate from their parents or in their vehicles.
“I remember these kids going to school the next day, and all the kids talking about what they got for Christmas, and some of these kids will say nothing,” Barrett said. “Unfortunately, in this day and age, a lot of kids won’t say anything because they’re afraid of the bullying or getting their parents in trouble.”
Barrett, who has lived in Virginia Beach for more than 40 years, said she wanted to focus on middle and high schoolers since programs like Angel Tree often age out for children older than 12.
Nine years ago, Barrett helped a friend who was homeless get gifts for her children. After that, she created Heart of Christmas. Now, she works with Project HOPE as well as Virginia Beach and Norfolk public schools to gather names of children who might otherwise go
“You shouldn’t be ashamed that you’re homeless. There are people that are out there to help you, and that’s what keeps me going.” — Diana Barrett, who created the Heart of Christmas program
without gifts.
Families and other individuals can send in names and lists for children who may not go to a partner school, as well.
In their gifts, children receive hygiene products, gift cards for fast food, shoes, outfits and an item that they’ve requested, such as art supplies or a bicycle. Barrett said there’s also a group of women who knit about 250 hats for them each year.
This year, Barrett said that inflation has created some challenges in raising donations, but despite that, she’s happy to help hundreds of parents give their children a good Christmas. The end goal of Heart of Christmas is to eventually include all of the region’s public schools.
“You shouldn’t be ashamed that you’re homeless,” she said. “There are people that are out there to help you, and that’s what keeps me going. The other thing is there is no face of homelessness. You can’t tell if someone is homeless by looking at them. It’s the drive of making sure that every kid — no matter what their age — has a Christmas. No child is left behind.”
Currently, Heart of Christmas is still looking for last-minute items to fill some requests for children in Hampton Roads. One is a a pair of bicycles, one for a 6-year-old and another for an 11-year-old. Barrett also said that Heart of Christmas is still accepting toys for children and $10 fast food gift cards.
To contact Heart of Christmas, contact Barrett at 757-679-6925.