For the past 19 years, Pastor Eric Johns of the
Buffalo Dream Center, 286 Lafayette Ave., has been leading the charge in
spreading holiday good will. Boxes
of Love, a box of donations filled with food and gifts for local
families, started when Pastor Johns and his wife, Michelle, realized that many
of the families at the center couldn't afford gifts for Christmas. At its
beginning, Boxes of Love raised enough money to help out 200 kids, but since
then, it has grown into something that Johns said he could have never
envisioned. Last year, the Johns helped nearly 3,000 families with food and
gave Christmas gifts to 5,000 children.To be able to help out that many people
takes a lot of time, volunteers and donations. Pastor Johns said that, last
year alone, 80 businesses and organizations and about 1,000 volunteers donated their time to help the
center make Boxes of Love possible. “We work really hard for a month wrapping
the gifts, packing the food and sometimes it’s a lot of work and you get weary,
but it’s all worth it when you’re at that distribution center and that little
kid gets exactly what they wanted,” Johns said. “Moms come to me crying saying
if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be able to do this and that brings us a lot of
joy.” By Kelly Khatib and Michael Read
