Waypoint Wonderland distributes more than 1,000 gifts

CEDAR RAPIDS - Kira Grabe says 2016 has been a challenging year.

She has three children, ages 4-10, including two sons with autism; she's battled drug addiction and her car's transmission recently went out.

But Tuesday, she was among those getting a helping hand in providing a merry Christmas to her family thanks to the annual Waypoint Wonderland program.

The event is hosted each year by Cedar Rapids-based Waypoint Services, an organization that helps victims of domestic abuse, as well as homeless families.

Through the program donated gifts are distributed to those who use the organization's services. More than 1,000 gifts were given this year to 500 families in the domestic violence victims service programs, those staying in Waypoint's shelters and families receiving financial assistance through the organization's child care program.

'It helps out tremendously,” said Grabe, who lives in Cedar Rapids and has her children enrolled in Waypoint's day care and preschool programs. She has participated in Waypoint Wonderland for two years.

'The first year I went, I was super surprised that they're giving so much stuff, and the fact that they give you stuff for yourself, too, is really nice.”

On Tuesday, Grabe picked out gifts for her kids, including two handmade wooden trucks for her boys that were carved and donated by a Cedar Rapids man. She also picked out some makeup and a comforter for herself.

'My last year's been really bad,” she said. 'I had a really bad drug problem. I've been sober since Oct. 16 now, so I'm trying to get my life all back together.

'This is part of it.”

Autumn Craft, chief development and marketing officer, said Waypoint was able to distribute more gifts this year than in years past.

'We can't thank the community enough for their generosity,” Craft said. 'Most of our clients go away very grateful knowing they'll be able to have gifts from Santa Claus. Otherwise, they wouldn't have the means to give them gifts.”

Each child age 12 and younger receive three gifts, stocking stuffers and a blanket or stuffed animals. Mothers typically pick out the gifts, along with a gift for themselves and a puzzle or board game for their family.

'Our mission is to inspire individuals to move forward in their lives,” Craft said. 'When you're going through a difficult time, it's very important as an agency that we're here to support them. If there's a housing crisis, they probably don't have the means to get their children gifts. We know the importance of making the children have a great Christmas.”

Craft said it's equally important for the mothers to receive a gift.

'We always want to make sure the mothers get a gift because they probably don't expect that, but everyone deserves to get something special,” she said.

Erin Rickels, a Jones County resident who takes part in Waypoint's domestic violence programs, said she was also able to pick out a special gift for her autistic 10-year-old son. Her two sons also are going to share the game Kerplunk.

Rickels said Waypoint Wonderland - along with her Waypoint advocate - has helped her family for five years.

'It takes so much stress off because they have such nice things,” she said. 'You don't have to worry about coming up with money to give them gifts. I do work a full-time job and two part-time jobs just to make ends meet.

'But It's not just a Christmas thing. It's all year that we have the support of our advocate.”

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