Ensuring that every child has a gift to open on Christmas morning is a goal of the Washington County Domestic Violence Coalition.

The volunteer group works to collect gifts for those locally affected by domestic violence. Brad Koenig, who is on the coalition and is an advocate with the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, explains it’s done anonymously and to keep it confidential he’s the only one who knows who the gifts go to.

Koenig shares the highlight of the effort, “My favorite part is delivering the Christmas pressents. I mean, I wish I could be there on Christmas morning watching these kids opening them up, but I do get the reaction from the mothers and I do get the reactions from the kids when I show up with a huge box of Christmas presents because they know who they’re for. I mean, even without seeing them open them, that’s going to keep me smiling all day now.”

The effort is assisted by the Washington County Riverboat Foundation and the women’s group at the United Methodist Church in Riverside. Koenig adds the coalition works to help year round, including birthday gifts for kids and holding awareness events to show that domestic violence is something that is happening locally and there are resources available to those who need help. Contact the coalition at 319-457-0027 or on Facebook.