‘I just want to give back’: Baltimore teen collects toys, coats for kids in need at Christmas

By Breana Ross

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    BALTIMORE (WBAL) — Most kids find joy in unwrapping presents on Christmas morning, but 15-year-old Sha’Miyae Hinton-Knight finds her joy in wrapping presents for other kids to open.

“I just love seeing people smile and give out gifts because having that experience of living in poverty communities, not really having anything. I just want to give back and have that Christmas joy and give back to the youth in Baltimore City,” Sha’Miyae told 11 News.

11 News first met Sha’Miyae in 2023 as she wrapped gifts for her annual Christmas giveaway through the nonprofit organization she founded, Faithfully Gifted Hearts. Sha’Miyae started the organization when she was just 8 years old to feed people in need, advocate against gun violence and host her toy and coat drives.

After 11 News aired her story last year, Sha’Miyae’s Christmas giveaway was filled with gifts and people.

“I was crying because it was a lot of youth and adults there collecting stuff,” Sha’Miyae told 11 News. “I’ve never seen that many people in Baltimore, but there are a lot of people that really need help out there.”

That’s why Sha’Miyae is expanding her Christmas giveaway this year, partnering with city leaders, like Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen, and several organizations, including the Digital Harbor Foundation Tech Lab, a nonprofit in Federal Hill that focuses on STEM education. They’re serving as a hub for people to drop off their toy and coat donations and they’re getting the young people they work with involved, too.

“It shows that it can be done, and it makes those things cool,” said Rob Moore, tech center manager for the Digital Harbor Foundation. “It makes it cool to be a giver versus a taker. It makes it cool to want to do things for the neighborhood in the community.”

That’s exactly what Sha’Miyae hopes to do. She wants to inspire kids through giving and striving to be a leader in the community.

“Just letting the youth know that you can do anything you put your mind to,” Sha’Miyae told 11 News. “If you want to do things like going out and feeding the homeless or doing technical things like coding, you can do those things.”

Her Christmas giveaway will take place Monday from 2:30-6 p.m. at the War Memorial Building in Baltimore.

Children must be present to receive a gift. You can drop off toys, coats and non-perishable food donations on the day of the event.

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