It’s not fancy. It’s just people helping people. It’s that simple.”
Matt Bauman’s heartfelt words about the Toy Drive to support Deep Well reflect his profound love and conviction for this simple but mighty endeavor. In 2023, Bauman collected more than $30,000 worth of donated toys that were then distributed through Deep Well’s Santa Shop to more than 800 local families.
The Toy Drive is a grassroots venture. Not only is the name itself simple, but the origin story has humble beginnings. The idea came about after a neighborhood dinner party.
“The holiday party was a tad boring and we had an absurd amount of leftover food,” Bauman said. Although the company was enjoyable, something was missing.
The following year, Bauman and his co-hosts asked guests to cut down on excessive holiday platters and yule logs, and to donate a toy instead. They collectively chose Deep Well’s Santa Shop, which Bauman was drawn to for its faithful support of residents in need, as the recipient for their gifts.
The dinner party turned out to be a success – a win-win situation where guests felt good about their charitable contributions and less wasteful of extra food, and, most importantly, Deep Well received much-needed toys for their Santa Shop.
The first year, Bauman and his friends donated 75 toys. He quickly recognized the ease of this experiment and enthusiasm from his neighbors and friends, which was a necessary element to keep the tradition going.
Sandy Gillis, executive director of the Deep Well Project, is extremely grateful that “the volume of toys, games, and books that are collected through Matt’s Toy Drive seems to grow every year, and that’s a good thing since the number of families that register for the program every year has grown significantly.”
Bauman is embarking on his seventh year running the Toy Drive and the momentum shows no signs of slowing down. Last year, 40-plus local businesses participated by hosting collection boxes for the Toy Drive. This year, Bauman is aiming to surpass 62 boxes.
While this story paints the picture of a jolly old man delivering gifts like Santa, the reality is that Bauman wears a different hat. A retired elementary school teacher, he is a baseball coach at Hilton Head Island High School. By day, he coaches baseball; by night, he wraps gifts.
“I’ve cleared out an entire room in my house! The boxes are stacked from the floor to the ceiling. I go through a ton of tape and wrapping paper,” Bauman said, pointing out numerous paper cuts on his hands.
This grassroots initiative radiates all the heartwarming vibes you’d find in a classic holiday film, but make no mistake – this isn’t a fictional story. Despite Hilton Head Island’s picturesque scenery and immaculate golf courses, there are genuine human needs often hidden beneath the surface. Bauman recognizes the unmet needs within many communities across the island.
“Teaching at Hilton Head Creative Arts Elementary, I saw the letters being written to Santa from certain students,” Bauman said. “They weren’t nice letters. (They were) letters written about how Santa had forgotten their family and how they knew they weren’t going to receive any gifts.”
Bauman passionately believes that every child deserves a magical Christmas morning filled with presents, and this belief fuels his commitment to enhance the Toy Drive each year.
Local schools are the backbone of this project. Deep Well collaborates closely with teachers and social workers to identify the community’s needs.
“This work is deeply rooted in my experience as a teacher, and seeing the inequities that go on in the school building,” Bauman said. “You have affluent children and you have children (who are) completely dependent on school lunch and breakfast being free.”
Also acutely aware of the disparities within the school system, Deep Well volunteers, aka Santa Shop Elves, work with local teachers as a team to create a Toy Drive wish list, which is then displayed on every collection box.
Donation boxes are set up in every public school on Hilton Head Island, plus Heritage Academy. Additionally, Bauman sets a positive example for his baseball players, who engage in the Toy Drive each year. He even has a few former players who continue to participate after graduating high school; one college player has involved his fraternity in the effort.
Bauman is steadfast about his commitment to local families. “The goal every year is to help as many families as possible,” he said. “The amount of people that need help is not going down, it’s only going up – especially as more people move to the area.”
How the Toy Drive works
“The Santa Shop is really a community initiative,” Gillis said. “Deep Well purchases items to ensure all wishes can be covered, but the vast majority of all items are donated by island residents and businesses.”
The list of participating businesses is vast, with the majority being small, locally owned establishments. Hilton Head Island Physical Therapy has been a partner since the beginning and local bakery The G-Free Spot donated all the boxes this year.
Once Bauman assembles the boxes, they are delivered to the businesses that have signed up to host a donation box. A team of Bauman’s friends and volunteers help deliver the boxes.
On December 6, a box truck will make its rounds to all those businesses to collect the donated toys and will deliver them to Deep Well. Once there, the toys will be organized and placed on the shelves of the Santa Shop by Deep Well volunteer “elves.”
To request a Toy Drive donation box for your organization or business, email MattRBauman@gmail.com. The Toy Drive runs from November 1 through December 6. For more information, visit deepwellproject.org.
