This week's contributions

Operation Holiday Heroes has received the following contributions:

Anonymous: $1,000

Loring P. Stone: $200

Edward and Linda Ball: $100

In honor of Mickey Bonefede: $100

This week's total: $1,400

Total to date: $1,775

Two years ago, Jessie was living in her car with her child.

Now, she is working at a local gas station at night and attending college during the day. She graduates next semester, but in the meantime, she can't afford gifts for her 4-year-old.

Operation Holiday Heroes stepped in and will be providing toys and food for families just like Jessie's at Christmas to ensure that every child wakes up to presents under the tree.

Operation Holiday Heroes is a countywide collaboration of Toys for Tots, Bluffton Self Help, The Deep Well Project, the Salvation Army, Love House Ministries, The Beaufort Gazette and The Island Packet, and United Way of the Lowcountry. Its mission is to assure that every child and family in need has toys and food for the holidays.

Donors can adopt a child for Christmas, businesses can ask employees to bring in one unwrapped gift each, and civic organizations can provide a cash donation.

To make monetary contributions for the purchase of toys and food vouchers, send a check made payable to Operation Holiday Heroes to: United Way of the Lowcountry, P.O. Box 202, Beaufort, SC 29901. Money also can be donated from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the United Way office at 2266 Boundary St. in Beaufort.

To volunteer, call Chrissy Mucha at 843-982-3040, extension 27.