Gifts of warm clothing and cozy blankets connected Kids Unlimited participants and local representatives of UScellular.

The company delivered more than 150 cuddly fleece throw blankets, more than 100 sets of knit beanie hats and gloves, 50 pairs of socks and more than 30 sweaters and sweatshirts to KU this week. The brand-new items, with an approximate $1,500 value, were presented as part of UScellular’s Gift of Connection program and will be distributed to KU children and families who need them most.

KU was one of 50 nonprofits across the country who benefited this holiday season from UScellular’s corporate giving campaign. The wireless carrier selected organizations for their dedication to building connections through art, music and sports in their local communities, according to a UScellular news release. UScellular has invested more than $47 million in cash, technology and experiences to nonprofits across the country since 2009.

This is the second consecutive year that KU was a Gift of Connection recipient. UScellular supports other KU fundraising efforts, including the annual Hope for the Holidays donation drive and Southern Oregon Open benefit basketball tournament. Serving more than 1,000 high-poverty families locally, KU operates a preschool, public charter school, afterschool programs and camps, along with providing wrap-around family support.

“It’s just amazing to see all these kids go through the program,” said Edgar Silva, a UScellular store manager in Medford who presented the donation Monday with a group of colleagues.

Silva himself worked for KU, helping afterschool participants with their homework and staffing summer camp in the nonprofit’s first few years of operation. His younger brother and nieces later went through the program

When the former bowling alley on Medford’s North Riverside Avenue was being converted to KU’s youth center, Silva said he helped with renovations. KU, he added, has played a key role in building a more inclusive local community with a broader mindset.

“They really know the program now.”

Learn more about KU’s work and how you can make a difference through our annual Hope for the Holidays appeal, which is hitting mailboxes around the region this week.