Braiden's Christmas Operation: Bringing Joy to Hemet Seniors

11-year-old Braiden has a mission: Make sure EVERY senior at Yorkshire Village has a gift to open on Christmas morning.

The Story:

This entire project started with one simple question from my son Braiden: "Mom, what about the seniors who don't have family? Who's going to give them Christmas gifts?"

When I didn't have a good answer, Braiden said: "Then I will."

At just 11 years old, Braiden created this fundraiser, partnered with Yorkshire Village senior living facility in Hemet, designed gift bags, and committed to personally delivering them on Christmas Eve morning (December 24th at 10am).

This isn't a school project. This isn't for extra credit. This is pure compassion from a kid who wants to make people smile.

The Best Part:

When Braiden hit his original $520 goal, I expected him to celebrate and be done. Instead, he looked at me with tears in his eyes and said:

"Mom, we have to keep going! How many of them can I make smile!"

So we're NOT stopping at 28 seniors. We're working with Yorkshire Village to find out how many TOTAL seniors we can help before Christmas Eve!

Where We Are Now:

✅ $585 raised from our incredible community

✅ 28 seniors will receive gifts (and counting!)

✅ Multiple business partners supporting the mission

✅ 32 days until Christmas Eve delivery

Our Amazing Community Partners:

Local businesses are stepping up to support Braiden:

Five Below - Donated $50 gift card

GripJoy - Donated 27+ pairs of grip socks

☕ Bigelow Tea - Sent an entire box of tea

Werther's Original - Sending product coupons

Leigh (Younique & Kleo Kolor) - Donated beauty items

Aveeno & Lubriderm - Sending product coupons

Staples + 9 local businesses - Displaying fundraiser flyers

Walmart Store Manager - Championing the project

What Each Gift Bag Includes:

Every $20 sponsors one complete gift bag containing:

Personal care items (lotion, chapstick, body wash)

Comfort items (grip socks, tissues)

Small treats (tea, candy)

A handwritten Christmas card from Braiden

Love and dignity for a senior who might otherwise be alone

Why This Matters:

Many seniors at Yorkshire Village don't have family nearby or may not receive any gifts this Christmas. Some have spent their entire lives building our Hemet community - raising families, working jobs, paying taxes, volunteering.

Now they're in their golden years, and an 11-year-old boy wants to make sure they know they're not forgotten.

How You Can Help:

Donate any amount - Even $5 helps! Every $20 = one senior's complete gift bag

Share this fundraiser - Help us reach more people

Spread the word - Tell your friends, family, coworkers

Sponsor multiple seniors - $40, $60, $100+ makes a huge impact

The Timeline:

Christmas Eve is December 24th - Braiden will personally hand-deliver every gift bag and spend time with the seniors at Yorkshire Village at 10am.

We have just 32 days to raise as much as we can and help as many seniors as possible!

The Impact:

This project is teaching Braiden lessons that will last a lifetime:

✅ Compassion for others

✅ Following through on commitments

✅ Community engagement

✅ That one person CAN make a difference

But more importantly - it's showing vulnerable seniors that they ARE seen, they ARE valued, and they ARE loved by their community.

Join Braiden's Mission:

Every donation - no matter the size - helps us reach one more senior. Let's show these wonderful people that their community hasn't forgotten them.

Let's see how many we can make smile together!

Thank you for believing in Braiden's Christmas Operation!

- Nichole (Braiden's very proud mom)

Location: Hemet, CA

Delivery Date: December 24th, 2025 at 10am

Location: Yorkshire Village Senior Living