Votta Coleman gives back through joyful giving

Hannah Votta Coleman stands over a desk packing small items into clear plastic bags with thoughtful intention. 

Toothbrushes, tissues and trinkets for kids. 

Each package is put together with the idea that small gestures — even a kit of basic necessities with treats — can make a big difference.

Soon, these carefully assembled “Joy Maker Bags”, almost always topped off with a mini Hershey chocolate bar and closed with a turquoise elastic hair tie, will be sent to local organizations across the Lehigh Valley. She wants each to feel like a gift rather than a donation.

Votta Coleman knows it’s the small gestures that can make big differences, whether it’s a toothbrush someone needs or a fidget toy that brings a child a moment of joy. 

As she packs away Joy Maker Bags to send to local organizations, a sign displaying the words “Joyful Giving” catches her eye from the corner of the room, a symbol of why she started giving in the first place. 

The importance of giving was instilled in Votta Coleman at a young age. Her parents served in the Peace Corps, volunteering in communities around the world. Her mother also worked as a social worker,  engraining  the idea of community into Votta Coleman and her brother. 

“It’s in my blood, it’s in my genes, it’s just what we do,” Votta Coleman said. 

Today, Votta Coleman is turning simple acts into meaningful relationships through Joyful Giving and their Joy Maker Bags.

It started as an accident.

One day, a friend reached out for help in making party favor bags for her daughter’s birthday. With a theme from Disney’s “Frozen” in mind, she got creative. 

She was proud of the result and decided to leave a small note in the form of a business card affixed to each bag. She ordered the cards for free from Vistaprint, choosing “Joy”, her daughter’s middle name, as the title for her business.

“It was a very instinctive moment,” Votta Coleman said. “I’ve always gone off my instincts and it felt like, ‘Why don’t I put my name in these bags?’” 

At the party, a parent asked Votta Coleman to make goodie bags for her orthodontist business.

That “yes” turned into a purpose. A mission. A way to spread joy. 

Initially, Votta Coleman started Joyful Giving in 2017 as a gift basket and box business. As her business gained traction, she became interested in using the bags to help others and eventually transitioned Joyful Giving to a nonprofit organization. 

Votta Coleman said the early stages of the business came down to experimentation and figuring out what worked. She said she had this idea of donating bags and began cold-calling nonprofit organizations. She offered to donate bags and asked for feedback in return. 

As Votta Coleman experimented with what went into each bag, she drew on a creative side she’s had since childhood. As a kid, she would put puffy paint on her Barbie’s clothes —  she loved stickers and glittery paint. 

She said creating Joy Maker Bags brings her back to childhood because in each bag, everything is designed together and be matching colors.

“It’s being creative and helpful at the same time,” Votta Coleman said. 

Most Joy Maker Bags are donated to local organizations in the Lehigh Valley, such as the Boys & Girls Club, the Easton Valley Youth House and Global Hope International, which helps local doctors and nurses from Lehigh Valley Health Network by volunteering and traveling to give free medical and dental care. 

The contents in the bags differ depending on the group receiving them. A general essentials bag, which might have lotion, toothpaste and a toothbrush, might go to a women’s shelter or a warming center. A bag for kids might have fidget toys. 

The nonprofit’s reach has grown, and is now delivering to 13 other countries. 

Monica Georges is the executive director of Global Hope International. She works closely with Votta Coleman to determine which items are included in Joy Maker Bags for people seeking medical and dental care.

Georges said when she met Votta Coleman, their relationship was organic. 

With this type of work, Georges said her heart goes out to the people who should know what’s happening with their bodies, and also to ensure they have access to care that they wouldn’t be able to get otherwise.

“Even if it’s preventative care that we’re providing and information that we’re sharing, that’s empowering for everybody,” she said.

The impact of that care is visible throughout Votta Coleman’s office. Photographs fill the space​​ of children from Bethlehem and all around the world, clutching their gift bags and smiling with gratitude. 

Votta Coleman has found joy in working with children for as long as she can remember. 

“One of the best experiences I get to do with Joyful Giving is that I can be around children and teach them the importance of community outreach,” Votta Coleman said.

She said she’s always inspired by children who like to help other children and is grateful to have a platform to do so. 

The board of Joyful Giving is led by a team of women.

Jessica Escobar-Eck, vice president of the Joyful Giving board, has known Votta Coleman since elementary school. 

Once Escobar-Eck got involved in fundraising, the two eventually reunited.

Escobar-Eck said Votta Coleman hasn’t changed much since those elementary school days.

“Outspoken is a really good word for her,” Escobar-Eck said. “She’s one of those people that will say your name in rooms where you’re not there, if she thinks it’ll help she is always willing to.”

Escobar-Eck said Votta Coleman is an enthusiastic leader and gets wrapped up in the excitement of her nonprofit. 

“She is very willing to listen, and she’s aware that she doesn’t know it all,” Escobar-Eck said. “She hears out the people on the board to see how they can work together. She has a really good group around her and she’s willing to hear them aloud.”

Escobar-Eck said Votta Coleman isn’t afraid to ask for money either, a quality many people struggle with, but one that’s crucial in the nonprofit world. 

She said it’s inspiring to watch Votta Coleman grow within her organization. In doing so she’s become known within the community for her brand and nonprofit. 

Escobar-Eck said not only does Votta Coleman give, but so does her family. She said Votta Coleman and her husband are philanthropic and give money to organizations who need it. 

Votta Coleman said there’s still room for Joy Maker Bags to grow. 

“But the main focus is definitely staying in the joy,” Votta Coleman said. “Because otherwise, what’s the point?”