A wrapped donation bin for The Ripple Effect Foundation’s Christmas toy drive stands in Melcher Hall on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, in Houston. | Karen Wei/The Cougar
The Ripple Effect Foundation, a nonprofit founded by marketing and entrepreneurship junior Dylann Hearn, is running its second annual Christmas toy drive until Dec. 12.
Donations can be dropped off in person at the Bauer Honors Commons in Melcher Hall 250 or purchased online via Walmart, Amazon or Target. Monetary donations are also accepted.
“Our mission is to help single parents beyond basic necessities,” Dylann said. “We do sports, scholarships, gifts and eventually I want to do vacations.”
Dylann’s brother, Parker Hearn, is on the foundation’s board. He said he remembers their mom working three jobs during the holidays to make Christmas happen.
“No one wants a kid to not have something to unwrap on Christmas,” Parker said. “So we just try and pull in as much as we can from the community and help as many people as we can.”
All donations from the toy drive will go directly to kids whose parents sign up for the program.
“I like to kind of imagine that this kid would be getting this,” Parker said. “I love when those toys come in, putting yourself back in that place and understanding that there’s going to be a little kid who’s going to unwrap this and have that smile. Knowing that you’re sort of spreading that Christmas cheer, it’s wonderful.”
The foundation partnered with Aid for Victims of Domestic Violence for its first toy drive. This year, it plans to reach the UH community directly.
“UH has a lot of people who are maybe coming from single-parent households,” Parker said. “If there’s anything we can do to help bring that community up, that’s just fantastic.”
Nursing junior Hayden Ely attended the foundation’s Pilates class and has donated to both toy drives.
“It’s honestly super easy,” Ely said. “Dollar Tree has resources, even Five Below has resources, so you can just go when you’re out, grab something, and donate.”
For Ely, the foundation’s mission is personal.
“My mom was a single mom, so a lot of what they do for single-parent households resonates with me,” Ely said. “You only have one set of hands versus two, so it’s a lot easier if there’s one thing that’s off the mind.”
Even single parents who are making ends meet may struggle to fund extra expenses like Christmas gifts or extracurricular activities for their children without outside support.
“Single moms and a lot of women in general think that they can do it all themselves,” Hearn said. “These people don’t feel like they need real assistance, but they do. Anyone who is struggling at all should be able to come and get any sort of help.”
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