BOISE, Idaho — A West Boise mother and daughter are turning their family’s two-car garage into a place where parents can find a little help and a lot of Christmas cheer.
Garage of Christmas Cheer is a gifting initiative that provides children with gifts and necessities at no cost during the Christmas season.
WATCH | West Boise mother-daughter duo turns garage into free Christmas shop for families
For Savannah Leisure and her mom, Erin Leisure, the mission is personal. Erin and her husband raised six daughters as a one-income family, and she said there were times when their own family needed a helping hand.
“We just really wanted to have a space where people could come and get the things that they want to give their kids,” Erin said. “People want to give their kids good things and we want to be a part of that and we want to support that because we remember what it was like.”
Last year, Savannah said the family self-funded the effort and helped 168 children receive toys, stocking stuffers and necessities for Christmas.
Families are able to come into the garage and choose items for their children, rather than simply being handed a pre-selected box. The garage is stocked with toys for babies, children and teens; everything from clothing, socks, underwear, hygiene products, sensory items, diapers, wipes and more.
Savannah said the families who came through last year were facing a variety of circumstances, from job losses to parents deciding whether to pay rent or buy Christmas presents.
For Erin, meeting survivors of domestic violence was particularly meaningful. She is a survivor herself from her first marriage.
“I got to tell them that there is life on the other side, that it’s not just this moment, that the tomorrows that come will be better,” Erin said.
Savannah said asking for help can be vulnerable, and she hopes families who visit the garage know there is no shame in doing so.
“It’s not an embarrassing thing,” Savannah said. “It’s okay to ask for help when you need it.”
The family is now asking the community to help keep the garage stocked for this Christmas season. You can give to their toy drive by bringing new, unopened toys and necessities to Mojo's Donuts in West Boise: 4622 North Eagle Road.
You can also purchase items from the organization’s Amazon or Target wish lists, or make a monetary donation through Venmo.
More information about donating and getting involved is available through the Garage of Christmas Cheer website. The organization also has Facebook and Instagram pages.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
