Small Gift from Holiday Toy Drive Makes Big Impact on Mom
One gift among the items Crystal Landers received for her daughters at Operation Homefront’s Holiday Toy Drive brought her to tears. It was a makeup bag. For her.
“That special gift was so moving because a lot of times, (moms) don’t really get thought about. Especially during the holiday season, it’s good to feel like you are respected and appreciated for what you do,” she said.
Crystal and her husband, Petty Officer 2nd Class Benjamin Landers, have three daughters, ages 14, 8, and 6. She is a full-time mom and military spouse.
Benjamin enlisted in the Navy when their middle child was born because he saw it as a good way to provide for his family. He has served nine years, including a nine-month deployment to the Middle East, and works on the frames of aircraft.
The Landers family is stationed in San Diego, their third duty station. They were among more than 600 military families participating in the Holiday Toy Drive in San Diego.
“It was amazing, and we were so blessed,” Crystal said. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for blessing my family. These past few years have been difficult.”
Since 2009 – and through partnerships with generous donors such as Dollar Tree – Operation Homefront’s Holiday Toy Drive program has provided more than 220,000 holiday toys to military children.
The Landers family learned about Operation Homefront and its Holiday Toy Drive events in 2016 at their first duty station in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It had been a challenging year with Benjamin deployed, a newborn at home, and Crystal’s mother receiving a difficult medical diagnosis.
Crystal said her family appreciates the care and kindness Operation Homefront and its donors show for families such as hers.
“I want to shout out thank you a hundred times,” she said. “You’re doing amazing work building morale for service members and their families.”
