Based in Roaring Spring, the Easter for Eli nonprofit honors the memory of 3-year-old Elias “Eli” Garrett, who lost his battle with non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphoma on May 7, 2009, just 10 days before his fourth birthday.

Since 2014, the organization has distributed more than 87,000 donated baskets filled with toys to brighten the smiles of hospitalized children and those in need every Easter.

Assembling Easter baskets is nothing new for the Altoona Rescue Mission, volunteer Jenny Heidler said, as they’ve prepared baskets for the nonprofit organization for over three years.

“It’s something that we want to do, to help kids,” she said.

With crayons and a coloring book in hand, Altoona Rescue Mission volunteer Jenny Heidler (left) gives fellow volunteer Karen Winrick toys for an Easter for Eli bookbag. Mirror photo by Colette Costlow.

After hearing about the program through friends in 2023, she and other Altoona Rescue Mission volunteers assembled about 10 baskets.

The organization recently distributed backpacks branded with the nonprofit’s logo instead of plastic or wicker baskets, which are more likely to be smashed during transportation.

Bookbags were also differentiated by paper labels that coordinate with a child’s gender and age group.

This year, Altoona Rescue Mission volunteers filled more than 30 neon backpacks — roughly triple their starting number — including toys donated by the thrift store and community members.

“The need just keeps increasing,” Heidler said.

Holding an Easter for Eli backpack, Altoona Rescue Mission volunteer Connie Rickabaugh places donated toys into the basket. Mirror photo by Colette Costlow.

She said the book bags will be distributed by Easter for Eli a few days before the holiday.

The care packages help children in need feel loved and appreciated, she added.

“If you had a little child in the hospital, and somebody walked in with an Easter basket, how would you feel?” Heidler asked.

Volunteers Karen Winrick and Connie Rickabaugh were also sorting toys into bookbags on Wednesday afternoon.

The bags can “bring a smile to a child’s face,” Rickabaugh said.

Donated crayons, books and toys filled a table on Wednesday afternoon at the Altoona Rescue Mission thrift store, where volunteers assembled backpacks for hospitalized children through the Easter for Eli organization. Mirror photo by Colette Costlow.

Easter for Eli accepts monetary donations via its Venmo account, and there is a donations list available to view at https://easterforeli.com/donations/. The organization is also asking for donations of Amazon, Sheetz and Visa gift cards. Food and candy items will not be accepted.

Anyone interested in filling a bag can find a list of supply pickup locations, as well as dropoff locations, on the Easter for Eli Facebook page. All bags and donations must be dropped off by March 13.

Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.