Meet a Donor:
Hayden Chavarria

Not every 6-year-old understands the importance of giving back to his community, but Hayden Chavarria is a rare exception. The first grader from San Jose has inspired thousands of Bay Area residents to support Packard Children’s, the hospital he has come to regard as a second home.

Hayden suffers from estropia and amblyopia, conditions that affect his brain and eyes, leaving him nearly blind in his left eye. He visits Packard every 10 weeks for check-ups.

But the last time Hayden visited, it was for a very different reason. In December, he and his mother, Jessica Dering, dropped off more than 500 new toys for fellow patients and families at Packard Children’s. With the help of two dozen volunteers, they had spent a month promoting their cause and collecting toys at local Toys ''R'' Us and Safeway stores.

Although his hard work and generosity certainly have made a difference in the lives of children at Packard, Hayden has even bigger aspirations. ''He learned about Dr. Martin Luther King in kindergarten,'' said his mother. ''He told me he wanted to be like him and change the world.''