Altoona Volunteers Triple Easter Bags for Sick Kids

Volunteers in Altoona spent Wednesday afternoon stuffing bright backpacks with puzzles, coloring books, and stuffed animals to brighten Easter for children facing hospital stays. The simple act of packing toys means a sick child will wake up to a surprise that reminds them someone cares.

The Altoona Rescue Mission has partnered with Easter for Eli for over three years. This year they assembled more than 30 neon backpacks, triple what they started with in 2023.

Easter for Eli honors the memory of 3-year-old Elias "Eli" Garrett, who died from non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphoma in 2009, just days before his fourth birthday. Since 2014, the Roaring Spring-based nonprofit has delivered more than 87,000 gift-filled bags to hospitalized children and those in need every Easter.

Volunteer Jenny Heidler said the mission is simple: help kids who need it most. "The need just keeps increasing," she explained as she sorted crayons and toys into age-appropriate bags.

The organization switched from traditional baskets to branded backpacks this year. The sturdy bags survive transportation better and give children something useful they can keep long after Easter passes.

Community members and the thrift store donated the toys filling each bag. Paper labels on each backpack match the contents to a child's age and gender, ensuring a 3-year-old gets different items than a teenager.

Sunny's Take

Volunteer Connie Rickabaugh put it perfectly: these bags "bring a smile to a child's face." Fellow volunteer Karen Winrick agreed, noting how powerful a simple gesture becomes when a child is far from home and feeling scared.

"If you had a little child in the hospital, and somebody walked in with an Easter basket, how would you feel?" Heidler asked. For families spending holidays in hospital rooms instead of around dinner tables, these backpacks deliver more than toys—they deliver hope and remind sick children they haven't been forgotten.

Easter for Eli will distribute the bags just before Easter Sunday, bringing joy to children when they need it most.