Korey’s Joy Drive sets new record, honors late Vancouver city employee

VANCOUVER — More than 2,000 new toys and winter clothing items were collected for the seventh annual Korey’s Joy Drive, making it the most successful event yet since it began in 2015.

Korey’s Joy Drive honors the memory of Korey Cochran, a city employee who died of brain cancer in 2017. Community members helped spread holiday cheer by dropping off items at donation sites, select local businesses and through an Amazon wish list between Nov. 15 and Dec. 15.

Donations were delivered to the five charities traditionally served by Korey’s Joy Drive: Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center; Children’s Center; Open House Ministries; the Arthur D. Curtis Children’s Justice Center; and Share of Vancouver. Thanks to the generosity of the Vancouver community the SeaMar Parent Child Assistance Program was added as a sixth charity.

The Korey’s Joy Drive planning team, which is comprised of Korey’s friends, colleagues and family members, shared this statement:

“We want to personally thank the community for the continued support of Korey’s Joy Drive and helping us to remember Korey. Thanks to your generous donations the drive gets bigger and bigger each year, which means more children and families are able to have a happy holiday season. We look forward to growing again next year!”