Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our spring member drive has ended, but it's not too late to give. You have the power to help fund the essential journalism that keeps us all informed. Help us close the gap on our spring fundraising goal! GIVE NOW

Idaho Family Invites People From All Over The World To Send Their Son Christmas Cards

Keller Family

For the second year in a row, Jay and Kathy Keller are asking people to send Christmas cards to their disabled son Joshua as part of their effort to give back to the community.

In return for the kindness, the Idaho family will set one dollar aside for every card received, up to $500. This money will then fund a service project.

“We figured we could start paying things back, because in the past, when our little family started getting going, we were on the receiving end of many donations and whole lot of kindness throughout the world,” said Jay.

The project was inspired because of Joshua’s love for getting mail. Last year Joshua received just under 500 cards. To pay it forward, the family donated blankets, stuffed animals, coloring books and crayons to the Franklin County Ambulance Association.  

At Joshua’s request, the family will donate items to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department this year that can be given to children who have experienced a traumatic event.

“We can’t control society, but we can control what we do,” Jay said. “And we want to make sure that what we do is a positive situation in life, not a negative.”

Joshua received Christmas cards from all over the United States and the world last year, including Japan, Australia and Sweden.