Holiday Magic from Japan

Emmory Shipley, Communications Coordinator

“An email caught my eye, it was from someone asking about sending gifts to a child for Christmas from Japan.”

April Sage, Outreach Manager, coordinates our Holiday Magic program each year – ensuring the hundreds of children in our care will have a Christmas to remember. The email was from Kelsey Ellis, wife of a marine stationed in Japan. She asked if she could send gifts to the child she was matched with through Amazon.

Kelsey and her husband, Andrew, originally lived in Louisville, but three years ago moved to Japan when Andrew was placed there by the Marine Corps. Last year, Kelsey travelled home to take care of her mother who was recovering from a kidney removal as a result of cancer. Kelsey dwelled in the feeling of being surrounded by blank hospital walls during the holiday season. She thought, “Why waste time and money on myself or my husband when we have everything we could ever want or need? There are people who are away from their loved ones or have nothing to celebrate.” She knew while she was fortunate for family and health, not everyone was.

From that point forward, the only thing Kelsey wanted was to make someone else’s holiday special! Through research and stories she heard, she decided to donate to Home of the Innocents through the Holiday Magic program. She remembered how excited she was to open presents during the holidays as a child, and wanted to create the same memories for another child.

This year Kelsey chose to take part in Holiday Magic again, but this time from Japan! The ability to participate is important to Kelsey, “This program is special to my heart, and I’m grateful to be involved from such a long distance.” We’re so grateful for her dedication to making the holidays special for kids at the Home!