On December 6 and 7, AdventHealth Castle Rock held its annual Christmas Store event, aiming to provide families in need with a supportive holiday experience. This year marked the sixth occurrence of the event and was notable as the first time the hospital fully managed its operation.
The Christmas Store assisted 58 families, including around 116 children, by providing a total of 558 wrapped gifts for both children and other household members. Nearly 130 volunteers participated in making the event possible. These included hospital staff, their families, community volunteers, local church members, students, and partners.
“This was the first year the hospital completely ran the Christmas Store,” said Matthew Mundall, Director of Mission Integration at AdventHealth Castle Rock.
Fundraising efforts generated $7,000 to support this year’s store and future events. Additionally, a toy drive collected about 30 toys from team members and community contributors.
The structure of the Christmas Store was designed to empower children while supporting parents. Upon arrival, children were paired with personal shoppers to select gifts for their household and themselves. After choosing presents, volunteers labeled and wrapped them while children engaged in arts and crafts activities such as decorating wooden candy canes.
Parents visited a pajama store operated by the FIT Team. The number of available pajama sets grew from 80 in 2023 to nearly 300 this year.
“One of the biggest things that stood out to me this year was the incredible response from our volunteers,” Mundall said. “Seeing more than 130 volunteers from our hospital and community come together warms my heart and brings so much hope. This is the true reason for the season.”
Mundall also shared an experience involving a family who received over 100 toys: “The last family that came through had many children. By the time we loaded their vehicle, there were more than 100 toys,” he said. “The father turned to me with tears in his eyes and said, ‘You don’t know how much this has helped my family. Without this, I don’t know what we would have done for Christmas.’”
Lisa Hinton, Director of Business Development at AdventHealth Castle Rock commented on how allowing children to choose gifts for their family fosters empowerment: “Hosting a Christmas Store for children in need, where they can choose free gifts for their family members, gives children the empowering experience of being givers, not just recipients,” Hinton said. “It allows them to express love and gratitude to their parents and siblings in a meaningful way. This simple act creates moments of pride, confidence, and hope, reminding families they are seen, valued, and supported.”
Partnerships with Douglas County Schools, local churches, donors and organizations like FIT Team contributed to organizing this event.
“The Christmas Store shows our community that AdventHealth Castle Rock truly cares about them and their families,” Mundall said. “We believe wholeheartedly in our mission to Extend the Healing Ministry of Christ. Whole-person care isn’t always physical; sometimes it’s helping a family experience joy, dignity, and hope during a difficult season.”
AdventHealth Orlando—located in Orlando since its founding in 1908—is part of AdventHealth’s broader network which includes pediatric services as well as medical training programs (https://www.adventhealth.com/hospital/adventhealth-orlando).
