Community Outreach

Toys for Tots

“Making Christmas brighter for kids”

The HenPen Foundation Toys for Tots initiative began in 2016.  Mr. and Dr. Laws assisted friends Ed and Michelle Menifee with their ministry program, “Stepping Beyond.” Stepping Beyond was a powerful ministry created by Michelle Menifee that spoke into the lives of incarcerated female inmates across northeast Georgia. During the holidays, Stepping Beyond also provided toys to kids whose parents were incarcerated – a gesture which touched the lives of many forgotten children. The Menifees invited the Lawses to join their team and speak to inmates that were in the process of transitioning from prison life into the free world. This invitation introduced them to ministry at its finest and gave them an opportunity to speak into the lives of people hoping to make a change. The Menifees took the Lawses under their wings and allowed them to be a part of their remarkable ministry, an experience that would change Mr. and Dr. Laws’ lives forever.

During the holidays, a team of 10 or more volunteers would gather at the Menifees for fellowship and gift wrapping. The Lawses helped bagged hundreds of gifts that were given out to children during Christmas visitations at various transitional institutions. This activity really touched Mr. and Dr. Laws’ hearts, as they recognized that they were helping make Christmas brighter for the forgotten kids of incarcerated parents.

After working with the team for a couple of years, the Lawses decided that HenPen Foundation would do something similar to make a difference as well. Therefore, in 2016, the HenPen Foundation applied to be a part of the Toys for Tots campaign.  The Lawses began their initiative with the same passion as their mentors, the Menifees, albeit as a similar mission with a different audience.  The HenPen Foundation has partnered with the City of Stonecrest, Dekalb County Schools, and Toys for Tots during the last few years to distribute hundreds of Christmas gifts to underprivileged children across Metro Atlanta whose parents are not necessarily incarcerated but struggling to make ends meet. Our goal is to continue making Christmas brighter for kids in need, regardless of their background or family situation.