ROARING SPRING, Pa. (WTAJ) — Elias “Eli” Garrett was a loving 3-year-old boy who lost his courageous and long battle with Non-Hodgkin’s T-Cell Lymphoma on May 7, 2009 — just ten days before his fourth birthday. Martin Garrett, Eli’s father, is now the founder of Easter for Eli, a local non-profit that brings Easter baskets to children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses all over the United States.

In Eli’s memory, “Easter for Eli” started collecting Easter baskets to be delivered to children who are hospitalized over the Easter Holiday, and their siblings.  Last year “EFE” delivered 5,000 baskets and $4,800 worth of gift cards to sick children at 16 hospitals in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, Delaware, and DC. In total, Easter for Eli has donated over 60,000 Easter baskets to kids all over the country.

Studio 814’s Rebecca Petner chats with the founder and President of Easter for Eli, Martin Garrett, about the non-profit, and why he does what he does. Baskets should have non-candy items inside. Choose the age range you would like to create the basket for and have fun with it!

Baskets can be dropped off at a number of locations in the 814. Click here for a full list. Please drop off your baskets by March 15, 2023.

Follow Easter for Eli on Facebook!