Michelle Gruber, vice president at First American State Bank in Greenwood Village and founder of The Village Toy Drive, as one of our amazing volunteers and true hero to many.
For ten years, Michelle’s tireless and selfless efforts have been the motivating force behind the Village Toy Drive, a gift-giving campaign that brings joy and happiness to hundreds of children throughout the state and raises money for Volunteers of America of Colorado.
Last year, Michelle and her team gathered thousands of toys and produced over 2,000 (or approximately $50,000) presents for Colorado children who are experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. These children otherwise might not get a gift on Christmas. They also raise money in donations that support VOA’s 50-plus human services programs.
This year, she has set her sights even higher!
Her devotion comes from her deep sense of community, her empathy for those in need, and her love of children. Since The Village Toy Drive began, Michelle estimates that 18,000 children in Colorado have received gifts through the program.
There are five toy-gathering and donation events this year and two of these would make for a great backdrop to your story. These include events at Candeeland Kids Indoor Playground on Wednesday, December 6th from 5-8pm and First American State Bank’s annual wrapping party on Thursday, December 14th from 5-7 p.m. We can provide additional details on the other events as well if neither of those dates works with your schedule.