Close to three dozen festive gift bags, lined with colorful tissue paper, contained warm winter coats for children in Buckingham County.

The donations were headed by Justina Barber, the mother of Jaiden Bartee, 6, who died from a tragic tractor-trailer accident at a bus stop in March that also claimed the life of Tori Perez, 5.

Barber said she and her church, Oak Grove Baptist Church, established a fund in Jaiden’s name following his passing. Barber looked for opportunities to fund projects in her son’s memory.

As winter approached, so did the need for warm, protective winter coats, especially for children in the county.

Barber, after consulting with her church and leadership at Buckingham County Primary School (BCPS), decided to collect winter coats to donate to students at the primary school, where Jaiden attended.

“Pastor Smith and I talked about what we could do in honor of Jaiden, and we came up with getting coats for kids in the school he attended, which is Buckingham Primary, since the winter season was around the corner,” Barber said.

Barber donated the coats to the school Oct. 13.

Barber said the principal and guidance counselor with BCPS provided the sizes and gender of low-income students who needed winter coats. The list came up to 32 students, with four students added later.

Barber, with her mother, shopped for coats until they had all 36 of them.

On each of the gift bags, there was a note with a photo of Jaiden and a message.

“On behalf of my son Jaiden Bartee I would like to bless you with this coat,” the message read. “May it bring you warmth and comfort each time you put it on. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to bless you in honor of my son.”

“I wanted it to be a gift that honored my son and to keep his memory alive, so I put them in gift bags and delivered them to the school,” Barber said about the donations.

Oak Grove Baptist Church Pastor Kitty Smith said a fund was established at the church to help Barber and her family following Jaiden’s passing. She said the fund received contributions from people from around the region and throughout Virginia.

She said she was inspired by Barber’s desire to honor Jaiden. Smith said Barber has also become more involved with the church’s children’s ministry, directing the church’s youth choir, youth dance team and upcoming Christmas play.

“I just thought that was phenomenal,” Smith said. “Not only does that help the families, of course it helps Justina, a grieving mother, just psychologically. She’s doing something good for the community, and I’ve watched her as she’s gone through this incredible, painful grieving process become more and more involved with children at the church.”

“So many people with the kind of problem, challenge that she’s had in the loss of her son would just shut off, and say, ‘I don’t want to work with children, it brings back painful memories,’ that sort of thing,” Smith said. “But instead, she’s become even more involved with children, and I just think it has helped her through this entire healing process.”

Angela Patterson-Jones, Buckingham County Primary School Principal, said she was moved by the donations, particularly in Jaiden’s memory.

“Buckingham County Primary School students and faculty will never forget the love and kindness that was shown by Ms. Barber and the Oak Grove Baptist Church,” Patterson-Jones said. “Now, when those children wear their coats, they will know that it is in memory of Jaiden.”