Touched by the families in hospital wards during the holidays, Jessie Tendayi decided a decade ago to put away some of her paychecks to buy Christmas toys for pediatric patients. Since then, Ms. Tendayi has given Christmas toys to thousands of kids.
This year, Ms. Tendayi’s toy donations fill two full rooms at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. Ms. Tendayi works extra shifts in Advocate Trinity Hospital’s cafeteria during the year to save the $5,000 to pay for the gifts.
“You have to make sacrifices if you want to give,” she said. “I made a choice to put them first over me, and it’s worth it. It makes a difference to people that somebody cares.”
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