COMMUNITY REPORT. MOST KIDS FIND JOY UNWRAPPING PRESENTS ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, BUT 15 YEAR OLD SHAMAYA HINTON NIGHT FINDS HER JOY WRAPPING PRESENTS FOR OTHER KIDS TO OPEN. I JUST LOVE SEEING PEOPLE SMILE AND GIVING OUT GIFTS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN POVERTY, COMMUNITIES, NOT REALLY HAVING ANYTHING. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE BACK AND HAVE THAT CHRISTMAS JOY AND GIVING BACK INTO THE YOUTH IN BALTIMORE CITY, WE FIRST MET SHAMAYA BACK IN 2023 AS SHE WRAPPED GIFTS FOR HER ANNUAL CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY. THROUGH HER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, FAITHFULLY GIFTED HEARTS. SHAMAYA STARTED THE ORGANIZATION WHEN SHE WAS JUST EIGHT YEARS OLD TO FEED PEOPLE IN NEED, ADVOCATE AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE, AND HOST HER TOY AND COAT DRIVES. AFTER OUR STORY AIRED LAST YEAR, JEREMIAH’S CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY WAS FILLED WITH GIFTS AND PEOPLE. I WAS CRYING BECAUSE IT WAS LIKE A LOT OF YOUTH AND ADULTS THERE COLLECTING STUFF. NEVER SEEN THAT MUCH. PEOPLE IN BALTIMORE, BUT THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED HELP OUT THERE. THAT’S WHY SHAMAYA IS EXPANDING HER CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY THIS YEAR. SHE’S PARTNERING WITH CITY LEADERS LIKE BALTIMORE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT ZEKE COHEN AND SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE DIGITAL HARBOR FOUNDATION TECH LAB. IT’S A NONPROFIT AND FEDERAL HILL THAT FOCUSES ON STEM EDUCATION. THEY’RE SERVING AS A HUB FOR PEOPLE TO DROP OFF THEIR TOY AND COAT DONATIONS, AND THEY’RE GETTING THE YOUNG PEOPLE THEY WORK WITH INVOLVED, TOO. IT SHOWS THAT IT CAN BE DONE, AND IT MAKES THOSE THINGS COOL, RIGHT? IT MAKES IT COOL TO BE A GIVER VERSUS A TAKER. IT MAKES IT COOL TO WANT TO DO THINGS FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT SHAMAYA HOPES TO DO INSPIRE KIDS THROUGH GIVING AND DOING. JUST LETTING THE YOUTH KNOW THAT YOU ARE YOU CAN DO ANYTHING THAT YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO. IF YOU WANT TO DO THINGS LIKE GOING OUT, FEED THE HOMELESS, OR LIKE DOING TECHNICAL THINGS LIKE CODING, YOU CAN DO THOSE THINGS. THE CHRISTMAS TOY GIVEAWAY WILL BE DECEMBER 23RD FROM 230 TO 6. YOU CAN STILL BRING YOUR DONATIONS THE SAME DAY THEY’RE ACCEPTING TOYS, CLOTHING, AND NONPERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS. REMEMBER, KIDS MUST BE PRESENT TO RECEIVE THEIR GIFT. WE’LL HAVE MORE INFORMATION FOR YOU ON OUR WEBSITE IN FEDERAL HILL. I’
'I just want to give back': Baltimore teen collects toys, coats for kids in need
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Updated: 4:35 PM PST Dec 22, 2024
Most kids find joy in unwrapping presents on Christmas morning, but 15-year-old Sha'Miyae Hinton-Knight finds her joy in wrapping presents for other kids to open."I just love seeing people smile and giving out gifts because, you know, having that experience of living in poverty communities, not really having anything. So, just want to give back and have that Christmas joy and giving back to the youth in Baltimore City," Sha'Miyae told Hearst sister station 11 News.The station first met Sha'Miyae in 2023 as she wrapped gifts for her annual Christmas giveaway through the nonprofit organization she founded, Faithfully Gifted Hearts. Sha'Miyae started the organization when she was 8 years old to feed people in need, advocate against gun violence, and host her toy and coat drives.After her story was aired last year, Sha'Miyae's Christmas giveaway was filled with gifts and people."I was crying because it was, like, a lot of youth and adults there collecting stuff," Sha'Miyae said. "Never seen that much people in Baltimore, but there's a lot of people that really need help out there."That's why Sha'Miyae is expanding her Christmas giveaway this year, partnering with city leaders, like Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen, and several organizations, including the Digital Harbor Foundation Tech Lab, a nonprofit in Federal Hill that focuses on science, technology, engineering and math education. It is serving as a hub for people to drop off their toy and coat donations, and it is getting the young people it works with involved, too."It shows that it can be done, and it makes those things cool," said Rob Moore, tech center manager for the Digital Harbor Foundation. "It makes it cool to be a giver versus a taker. It makes it cool to want to do things for your neighborhood and your community."That's exactly what Sha'Miyae hopes to do. She wants to inspire kids through giving and striving to be a leader in the community."Just letting the youth know that you are -- you can do anything that you put your mind to," Sha'Miyae said. "If you want to do things like going out, feed the homeless or, like, doing technical things like coding, you can do those things." Those interested in making a monetary donation can do so by clicking this link to send an email.
BALTIMORE — Most kids find joy in unwrapping presents on Christmas morning, but 15-year-old Sha'Miyae Hinton-Knight finds her joy in wrapping presents for other kids to open.
"I just love seeing people smile and giving out gifts because, you know, having that experience of living in poverty communities, not really having anything. So, just want to give back and have that Christmas joy and giving back to the youth in Baltimore City," Sha'Miyae told Hearst sister station 11 News.
The station first met Sha'Miyae in 2023 as she wrapped gifts for her annual Christmas giveaway through the nonprofit organization she founded, Faithfully Gifted Hearts. Sha'Miyae started the organization when she was 8 years old to feed people in need, advocate against gun violence, and host her toy and coat drives.
After her story was aired last year, Sha'Miyae's Christmas giveaway was filled with gifts and people.
"I was crying because it was, like, a lot of youth and adults there collecting stuff," Sha'Miyae said. "Never seen that much people in Baltimore, but there's a lot of people that really need help out there."
That's why Sha'Miyae is expanding her Christmas giveaway this year, partnering with city leaders, like Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen, and several organizations, including the Digital Harbor Foundation Tech Lab, a nonprofit in Federal Hill that focuses on science, technology, engineering and math education. It is serving as a hub for people to drop off their toy and coat donations, and it is getting the young people it works with involved, too.
"It shows that it can be done, and it makes those things cool," said Rob Moore, tech center manager for the Digital Harbor Foundation. "It makes it cool to be a giver versus a taker. It makes it cool to want to do things for your neighborhood and your community."
That's exactly what Sha'Miyae hopes to do. She wants to inspire kids through giving and striving to be a leader in the community.
"Just letting the youth know that you are -- you can do anything that you put your mind to," Sha'Miyae said. "If you want to do things like going out, feed the homeless or, like, doing technical things like coding, you can do those things."
Those interested in making a monetary donation can do so by clicking this link to send an email.
