Kirkwood Families Get Christmas Thanks to Students

Kirkwood resident David McCoy was so inspired when he learned of Kirkwood Early Childhood Center's (KECC) Parents as Teachers (PAT) program that he has spent more than a decade helping bring PAT families the Christmas they deserve.

For the past 14 years, McCoy has overseen donations to PAT families in Kirkwood made through a holiday drive at Chaminade where he is a teacher. Students collect gifts and money to send to families in the Kirkwood School District who need assistance. 

McCoy and Chaminade have adopted 11 PAT families this year.

"Most of them are single-parent families and otherwise probably wouldn't have a Christmas if we didn't provide one for them," McCoy said.

The Chaminade holiday collection is part of the school's Sharing and Caring Drive when students collect gifts and money for agencies across St. Louis.

"The great thing about it is that we're touching lives of people right here in our community," McCoy said.

Chaminade works with KECC staff to identify PAT families that can use a helping hand during the holidays. 

"The families have just been overwhelmed in terms of gratitude," McCoy said.

In particular, he remembers last year when students at Chaminade were able to collect enough funds to buy two twin beds and linens for a pair of boys in need. Before the collection, the boys were sleeping on sleeping bags on an apartment floor in Kirkwood. 

"Sometimes there's something special a kid wants that he or she has never gotten before, so it's been really great," McCoy said.

While McCoy oversees the giving effort for PAT families in Kirkwood, it all starts with Chaminade students and their generosity. 

"The kids at Chaminade have been great helping those in need to have a great Christmas," McCoy said. "Every year the kids have astounded me at their level of giving."