After 35 years, Share Your Christmas comes to an end

After three decades of ensuring that Christmas arrived for children in need in the Cleveland area, Dinah Cochran has decided it is time to step away from organizing Share Your Christmas. Now in her 70s, Cochran said the decision did not come easily, but she knows it is the right one.

Cochran said her husband’s health issues and the lack of consistent, year-round volunteer support ultimately led her to step aside. While the program has always received generous financial donations, the physical demands of organizing the event have become too much for one person to handle alone.

“If I had more help, I would do it another 35 years,” she said. “I just can’t do it by myself.”

For Cochran, Share Your Christmas was never a seasonal effort. Her work began the day after Christmas each year, when toys and gifts went on sale at discounted prices. Throughout the year, she purchased toys, clothing, shoes, and other necessities, storing them until December when they would be distributed to children in the Cleveland area.

That dedication was evident on Saturday, Dec. 20, when nearly 500 gift bags filled the Douglass Gym in Cleveland during this year’s Share Your Christmas event. As she looked over the rows of bags, Cochran reflected on the amount of work and personal commitment it took to make the event possible.

“I’ve always put my heart into this and used my own resources to make sure these children had something special at Christmas,” she said.

Over the years, Cochran said she thought about quitting more than once, but always felt called to continue. This year felt different.

“I have wanted to quit many times, but God kept tell me not yet,” she said. “But He didn’t say it this time. I felt like He was saying, ‘Okay, it’s time.’ It’s time for someone else to pick up this mission.”

If someone does step forward to continue helping families at Christmas, it will be under a different name. Cochran said the Share Your Christmas name will retire with her, though she hopes the spirit of the mission continues through a new organization.

Ahead of the Dec. 20 event, Cochran hosted an awards ceremony to recognize volunteers and longtime donors who helped sustain the effort over the years. Among those recognized were 253rd State District Judge Chap Cain; John and Tammy Hart of Hart’s RV and Boat Storage; the Good family, former owners of CBS Furniture; Grace Community Church; and several others. Some of Cochran’s own children have also volunteered alongside her.

The need in the community has continued to grow over the years. This year, Share Your Christmas provided gifts to 500 children, up from 450 last year. Cochran said keeping pace with that increasing demand has become more difficult each year.

During the Dec. 20 event, Cleveland Mayor Danny Lee read a proclamation on behalf of the city declaring Dec. 20, 2025, as Dinah Cochran Day in Cleveland. Lee said Share Your Christmas has been something families have relied on for years, and its absence will be felt.

“Maybe someone will step up to the plate and start their own organization,” Lee said. “It really warms my heart when I see people in our community helping each other. That’s what the Christmas season is all about.”

Lee said he understands Cochran’s decision and thanked her for her decades of service.

“This is a lot of work, and she really cares about this community,” he said. “When you are doing something you really care about, it can create a lot of stress. I just want to thank her for the years she gave us. I think God is going to elevate somebody and put them in the position where they can step up and start doing this.”