Toy Mountain Spotlight: Brianna Baker

by: June Li

There’s less than two weeks until Christmas day and the malls are bustling with people trying to find the perfect gift for their loved ones. Unfortunately, for many Canadians living in the Greater Toronto Area, the extra costs of the holidays are just an expense that they cannot afford. The sad reality is that hunger is an issue for one in eight Toronto region households.

Poverty isn’t always easy to see, especially during the holidays but at the young age of 7, Brianna understood the hardships that some families go through. One night while her father, Rick was watching Toy Mountain on CTV, Brianna asked, “Why do they have Toy Mountain?” Rick explained to Brianna that sadly Santa isn’t able to give toys to every child. Now, nine years later, this simple question led to nearly a decade of support.

“The first year, I gave her $50.00 to buy toys for Toy Mountain. As each year passed, she became more involved and began setting up boxes at different locations. This year, we set up a dozen boxes at bowling allies and theatres” says Rick. This year, Brianna and her family are set to hit a new record for their Toy Drive! “I like helping out and giving back to the community,” Brianna says, “My family is fortunate enough to be able to celebrate a huge Christmas and I want every child to be able to celebrate even if their families may be struggling.”

As Toy Mountain heads into its third week of the campaign, we are urging community members to think of those less fortunate. Whether it is hosting a toy drive or simply buying an unwrapped toy, every little bit counts. To get involved, please visit www.ToyMountainTags.com.