Presents filled a room Saturday at the Kansas City Mothers in Charge office, as mothers and grandmothers who lost loved ones to gun violence this year collected items given to their families for Christmas.

Rosilyn Temple, founder of the organization that supports mothers in the community whose children were killed, said she created the event to comfort bereaved families during the holiday season.

Large blue bags stuffed with wrapped presents sat inside the office on the floor at 3200 Wayne Ave. Laundry detergent, toilet paper and paper towels were stacked by the door. At the giveaway, Temple said she understands how parents are feeling during the holiday. She recalled what it was like losing her son, Antonio Thompson, 26, the day before Thanksgiving.

“We’ve been doing this for several years now and it helps the families and their children,” Temple said.

She’s aware that for parents who are mourning a child while raising other children, running errands can be a burden.

“Sometimes they can’t get up and go shopping and think about the process,” Temple said.

‘It’s a club we didn’t ask to be in’

Mary Lee walked with volunteers as they carried her gifts to the car. While standing outside in the rain, Lee expressed sorrow fathoming this would be the first Christmas without her daughter, Deondrea Brand (Nene), 38, who was shot and killed on Feb. 8.

Before she died, Brand submitted her application to enroll in nursing school. Caring for people was something she would always do, Lee told The Star.

In the parking lot, Lee reminisced about times when Brand would give seniors in the community a ride if they couldn’t get around in the neighborhood. “She was there to help them,” she said.

For Lee, the hardest part of mourning is seeing her daughter in every aspect of life. On her way to the Christmas giveaway she was triggered, driving by where her daughter would park her car and see friends.

“I’m at home, I’m seeing her picture, I‘m seeing things she gave me,” Lee said, tears filling her eyes. “Everything is Nene. I think about her all the time.”

What made Lee smile amid grief was a memory of Brand accompanying her to the hospital as if she was her nurse.

“She was right there with me. She was answering questions one day and the doctor said it was OK, let her answer,” Lee said, laughing.

A few parking spots away, Grace Price, 58, hugged volunteers, thanking them for their service. Her grandson, Charles Jones, 18, was killed in May days before what should have been his graduation from Center High School in Kansas City.

“Mothers in Charge has helped me tremendously, especially when he died,” Price said. “They pulled through and were there at my house supporting me and my family.”

In the office Latrice Murray, outreach specialist for Mothers in Charge, greeted mothers with a smile as they walked in. Murray joined the organization when it was founded in 2011, two years after her son Darreon Murray, 17, was killed. During that time, she said she was struggling and didn’t know what to do. That uncertainty led her to find purpose in honoring her son.

“I don’t want my son’s name to go in vain,” said Murray, wearing a black hoodie with the words “KC Mothers in Charge” in pink and blue letters. “He lived in the community, and I just want to be a voice for him.”

While the organization has formed bonds amid grief, Murray made it clear that it’s an unwanted membership.

“It’s a club we didn’t ask to be in,” Murray told The Star.

As the mothers and grandmothers walked in and out of the office, Murray hugged the women, supporting them on a journey of sisterhood no mother should have to join.