Taylor Price is a second-year Toys for Tots Coordinator overseeing the Grayson and Fannin County local chapters in Texas. She is also a Special Advisor to the President and CEO for our Foster Care Initiative.
Toys for Tots spotlighted Taylor’s full circle story last year, but we believe her continued efforts demonstrate that her story is only beginning.
“I was bounced around a lot between several different family members. I had a very rocky life for about five years until my mom came home after being incarcerated. During the time that my mom was incarcerated, she was able to reach out to the counselor there at her facility, and the counselor provided her with the information for the Toys for Tots Coordinator in the region where my younger brother and I were living.”
Taylor continued, “If it wasn’t for Toys for Tots, we would not have received anything for Christmas.”
She went on to say that her experience with her local Toys for Tots chapter left a life-long impact on her life, especially when she needed a little extra help.
“I feel the Coordinator of my local chapter stepped up and kind of filled in the gap, you know, when I was feeling like I didn’t matter to anyone.” But Taylor did matter, and that experience would become a full circle moment later in life, and her mom would be right by her side.
Taylor was raising her four children and had a son on the way. This time in her life was supposed to be happy, but she faced a health concern that would be with her the rest of her life.
“I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus (SLE), my Lupus had gone untreated and unnoticed so long it damaged my kidneys giving me a disease called Renal Tubular Acidosis Type 1. I am in Stage 3 Renal Failure and have been since 2018.”
She continued, “It’ll never go away. There’s nothing that you can do besides taking your potassium every single day. I’m not able to be on any medication for my lupus because my kidneys are so damaged.”
Taylor was hospitalized 17 times in 2018, the same year her son was born. She continued to be in and out of the hospital throughout 2019.
“I couldn’t make it 48 hours without being back in the hospital for weeks at a time the entire first year of my son’s life.”
While Taylor was hospitalized, her mother stepped in to help care for her children, despite battling a severe autoimmune disorder herself. From her hospital bed, Taylor found herself making decisions she never anticipated having to face. The thought of providing her children with Christmas gifts was out of reach because of the financial hardships she faced – only exacerbated by her medical expenses. That’s when Toys for Tots offered a glimmer of hope when she needed it the most.
“My mom was able to provide a few things for my children, but if it were not for my daughter attending a school that is supported by a local agency – she wouldn’t have gotten a Christmas.”
Taylor continued, “The school where my daughter went sent the form home and asked us to things that our kids were interested in, and my daughter wanted a pair of roller skates. I’ll never forget going to school, picking up the bag of toys and bringing it home, and having the ability to wrap everything for her—and surprise her when she got the roller skates. Initially, I was embarrassed that I had to ask for help. Now I feel differently.”
Today, Taylor is 30 years old, and she says every day is still a gamble. Despite the adversity and life-threatening health concerns she faces, Taylor prevails.
“I’m not in the same financial situation now. I’m married and stable, and my health conditions are under control for the most part.”
Now, Taylor gives back to the families in her community that are in the same position she was once in. She’s been through so much in her life and she doesn’t take the time she’s been given for granted. She continues to pay it forward.
“What was I put on this earth to do and what is my purpose in life? I might not be able to go on lavish trips with my kids or go out there and do crazy things in the yard with them, because I’ll be paralyzed the next day. But if I don’t do anything else; I will teach them that anytime they have the opportunity to stand up and fill in the gap for someone, they should do that.”
She goes on to say, “And in one minute, you may be the person receiving help. The very next minute, you may be the one providing it. If that’s the only thing I teach my children, then I will feel like I’ve done my job.”
“I hope that as a Coordinator in my area, everyone knows that they can submit an application discreetly and receive help discreetly from Toys for Tots. I don’t want anyone to feel embarrassed about having to ask for help.
Taylor works tirelessly alongside her mother, children, and all her volunteers to ensure that every family in need receives assistance and every disadvantaged child in her community has a reason to believe in a brighter tomorrow—because that’s what Toys for Tots did for her. Following Taylor’s example, her daughter served as a Toys for Tots Youth Ambassador in 2023, and even through her families many challenges, they remain humble and steadfast in their mission to support families in need in their local community.
“Every day is a gift for me. I don’t know why God keeps me here, but I’m going to keep on keeping on until there is no more. As long as I’m here, I’ll be here with this organization, and I’ll stand in the gap with Toys for Tots the way they stood in the gap for me as a child and again as a mom.”
In a world often shadowed by adversity, there are individuals whose spirit resembles the mythical phoenix, rising from their own trials and tribulations to become beacons of hope for others. Taylor’s story is a shining example of this. Instead of succumbing to the weight of her struggles, she’s transformed her experiences into a source of strength. Recognizing the power of community and empathy, Taylor has dedicated her life to helping those less fortunate, intimately understanding the pain and uncertainty they’re feeling. Her journey from struggle to service illuminates the path for many, proving that it’s possible to overcome one’s circumstances and impact others positively. Her life is a testament to the incredible human capacity for renewal and service—a true modern-day phoenix rising to ignite change and bring hope to those in need.
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