Holiday With Heroes: How a $10,000 Grant Brought Joy to 150 Poway Families

At the Poway Community Foundation, we believe in the power of community partnerships to make a real difference in people’s lives. This past holiday season, that belief came to life through our $10,000 grant to the Kiwanis Club of Poway in support of their annual Holiday With Heroes event.

Thanks to this funding, 150 students from three local Title I schools and their families celebrated the holidays with dignity, joy, and connection. Each child was paired with a hero – a first responder, military member, or community volunteer – for a two-hour holiday experience filled with shopping, fun, and lasting memories.

At the heart of the event is the on-site holiday “store,” stocked with more than 650 items purchased for children to select meaningful gifts for their families. Beyond shopping, students received their own wrapped presents, shared dinner with their hero, and enjoyed music, games, and crafts. Families went home with two large bags of gifts and essentials, such as blankets, books, toys, hygiene kits, and first aid supplies, along with information on free food and healthcare resources.

The outcomes were powerful:

• 150 families received holiday gifts and practical household items.

• Children experienced the joy of giving, selecting presents for their loved ones.

• Students felt celebrated and supported, bonding with their heroes in memorable ways.

• Excess items were donated to local nonprofits, ensuring no resource went to waste.

Holiday With Heroes is about more than presents. It’s about children feeling special, families receiving support, and the community coming together to spread kindness. As one organizer shared, “It is wonderful to see the children bond with their heroes. The joy is contagious – both the children and heroes walk away with memories they’ll never forget.”

At Poway Community Foundation, we are proud to support programs like this that strengthen families and build a more connected Poway.