SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — For some military families in San Diego, holiday shopping begins in a room filled with around 3,000 gifts, where parents can pick out the perfect present for their children.
Ashley Gievel and Jamie Johnson, both military spouses and good friends, recently shopped together at the Armed Services YMCA's annual Operation Joy event, finding gifts for their little ones.
"This is also a great way for like families that can't afford gifts for children to be able to provide gifts," Gievel said.
The Armed Services YMCA has hosted Operation Joy for 36 years, providing crucial support to military families during the holiday season.
"After the government shutdown with money being tighter, them doing this event has allowed a lot of military families take that and breathe, take that off their shoulders and breathe some," Gievel said.
Between financial stress and the plane crash that hit the Murphy Canyon community in May, Ashley and Jamie say this event helps take the burden off military families.
"It lets them do their job more efficiently and better without having to worry about their family at home, especially during the holiday season," Gievel said.
With the help of personal shoppers, several junior military families chose between two gifts for each of their children or one bike per child.
"We know that their need is more than the others, so we are out here to support them," said Allison Garner, director of donor relations.
Families also had their gifts wrapped and were given a small Christmas tree and a turkey.
"We have so many community supporters that wrap their arms around the community and just make this possible," Garner said.
Garner says this event spread holiday magic to 1,200 military children.
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