A smile graced Tonya Fortner’s face as her son Atlas marveled at the bag of toys he’d just received.
The pair recently moved to Jackson after Fortner gained custody of her son, whose father is incarcerated. “I’m from the coast, but I had to come here to change my life,” she told the Mississippi Free Press on Dec. 22.
That morning, Fortner joined several other parents and caregivers lined up outside the New Hope Baptist Church on Watkins Drive in Jackson for the RECH Foundation’s 38th annual toy drive for children with incarcerated parents.
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Tonya Fortner’s son Atlas hugs Keilani Vanish, a volunteer at the RECH Foundation’s annual toy drive for children with incarcerated parents held in Jackson, Miss., on Dec. 22, 2024. Photo by Shaunicy Muhammad ” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?fit=300%2C200&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?fit=780%2C519&ssl=1″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=780%2C519&ssl=1″ alt=”Woman hugging child at Christmas event” class=”wp-image-50834″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&ssl=1 1200w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=1568%2C1045&ssl=1 1568w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?resize=400%2C267&ssl=1 400w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad.jpg?w=2000&ssl=1 2000w, https://i0.wp.com/www.mississippifreepress.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Child-hugging-volunteer_cred-Shaunicy-Muhammad-1024×682.jpg?w=370&ssl=1 370w” sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px”>Tonya Fortner’s son Atlas hugs Keilani Vanish, a volunteer at the RECH Foundation’s annual toy drive for children with incarcerated parents held in Jackson, Miss., on Dec. 22, 2024. Photo by Shaunicy Muhammad
Organizers didn’t open the doors for the eager caregivers and children until 1 p.m. A plethora of gifts—board games, stuffed animals, bikes, blankets, pillows and more—awaited them.
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Once inside, Fortner trailed closely behind Atlas, who grabbed his first bag of goodies from Keilani Vanish, one of the more than 100 volunteers who helped set up and hand off gifts that day. Gift bag in hand, he took a few steps toward his mother before turning back to face the volunteer.
“He wants to give you a hug,” Fortner told Vanish, who then kneeled down to embrace him.
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