John and Shelia’s Story

John and Sheila started their program in 2021. John, formerly the Lieutenant of the Major Crimes Division for the Butte County District Attorney’s Office, had seen many cases where children were taken from their homes for good reasons—and it was heartbreaking. He wanted to do something to help.

Sheila has always been an active volunteer in the community, through the volunteer fire department, Lions Club, and other efforts. When COVID hit in 2020, all the charity events for children disappeared. Sheila didn’t hear of any toy drives or efforts to raise money for kids, and she felt like nobody was doing anything for these children. She prayed about it and decided to step up to the plate.

In their first year, John and Sheila helped the District Attorney’s Office and a small local foster agency. The following year, when that agency closed, they reached out and found Children’s First Foster family Agency. After learning more about the needs of our children, they decided to focus their efforts exclusively on supporting Children First.

Over the past four years, John and Sheila’s program has grown tremendously. Their consistent dedication has brought countless toys, gifts, and resources to children in foster care, brightening the holidays and giving hope to kids who need it most. Each year, their efforts have touched more families, creating a lasting impact in our community.