Anissa Trujillo’s wish list for her ninth birthday was different to most girls her age. She asked her family to buy gifts for less fortunate children: shoes, and lots of them.
“We received 30 pairs of shoes,” said Stefanie Wambsgans of Rebekah Children’s Services in Gilroy.
In its 115 years of operation, the nonprofit located on IOOF Avenue has never had anyone donate all of his or her birthday gifts, she said.
At home in Morgan Hill, Anissa’s mother Natalie Trujillo described her altruistic daughter.
“Anissa has a big heart,” said Natalie. “She’s always giving away money like she’s rich.”
On the 8-acre campus on the east side of Gilroy, Rebekah Children’s Services helps promote the social, emotional and physical well-being of children and families through a residential treatment home, hospital diversion program and foster care and adoption assistance, explained Wambsgans.
“Some of our kids come in without shoes and clothes,” Wambsgans added. “She helped make a huge difference in their lives.”
Anissa, a student at Barrett Elementary School in Morgan Hill, was inspired to make the donation by an advertisement on the Disney Channel in which a young girl gives gifts to an orphanage in Mexico, explained Natalie. Once Anissa was told a trip to Mexico wasn’t in the cards, she asked her mother to find a local place with children that needed help.
“It had to be a gift for someone else,” Natalie laughed.
The family duly went along with Anissa’s wishes and instead of paying for an extravagant party or other gifts – Anissa had originally asked to go to Great America with a friend, but was told she had to pick between taking a trip to the amusement park and making a donation – the family all clubbed together to buy the 30 pairs of shoes, Natalie explained. The list of shoes and sizes had been compiled by Rebekah Children’s Services, and the shoes were delivered in the first week of May.
“The kids were really excited,” Wambsgans said. “Everything was brand new.”
According to Natalie, brand new shoes for local children are just the beginning for Anissa.
“Now she wants to do a fundraiser,” Natalie beamed.
