What began as a small act of kindness during the holiday season turned into a little piece of magic for the clients at our Berryville campus.

Amanda Heslop, from Berkeley County in West Virginia, first set things in motion after “adopting” a family for the holiday season through a local Buy Nothing group on Facebook. When one of the children shared a simple wish for Pokémon items, she and her husband Joel knew they wanted to make it special. But after completing that first gift, they couldn’t help but wonder how many more kids in our community might have the same wish.

They shared their idea on social media, offering to help other families with children who desired Pokémon cards during the holidays. That post caught the attention of Milo Levine, a Music Therapist at Grafton’s Berryville campus, who saw an opportunity to bring something meaningful and fun to the clients.

Milo shared, “My friends Joel and Amanda recently posted on Facebook about trying to find Pokémon cards for kids this holiday season, after realizing how difficult they’ve become to find. I shared our mission and the population we serve, and they went above and beyond to ensure that every child was included.”

This sparked a “poké-quest”! The two went to as many local card shops as they could in search of tins, portfolios, and highly sought-after cards. Determined to make each package feel special, they focused on finding fan-favorite “chase cards”, including iconic Pokémon like Charizard.

Local shop owners didn’t just support the effort, they became part of it! Many worked with the Heslops to offer discounted pricing once they learned about what they were doing and who would be receiving the cards. Community members also donated some extra goodies for the bags.

In the end, 68 PokéPackages were created to ensure that every child at the Berryville campus received one.

Milo was also happy to share the students’ reactions to receiving these goodies.

“The excitement from the kids was immediate. It quickly turned into talking, trading, and bonding over Pokémon. It created a sense of connection beyond the moment. The gifts arrived right around Christmas, and some kids shared it was the best part of their holiday. I’m incredibly grateful to Joel and Amanda for going above and beyond. I initially asked for 5-10 care packages, but they made enough for every child! Each one included cards, a mini binder, stickers, and a Pokémon coin. It truly meant a lot to our kids.”

It is clear that the impact of this effort goes far beyond the cards themselves. It’s about connection, generosity, and the power of community coming together around a shared goal: making sure every child feels seen, especially during the holidays.

For Joel and Amanda, the goal was simple: “We just hope the kids love them.”

And thanks to their dedication and support from their community, they definitely achieved their goal!