TEMPLE, Texas (FOX 44) – A woman known for giving back to the Temple community has passed away.

Allison Dickson is a local philanthropist who reportedly died on Wednesday night. Temple Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Bobby Ott posted about Allison’s passing on X (formerly Twitter):

Allison donated stuffed animals to the McLane Children’s Medical Center every Christmas as part of her Brighten a Child holiday project. In 2019, the children received the gifts in July due to Allison being hospitalized for four months.

Donations totaled around 425 animals. The Temple High School Football Team even participated.

“To me, I want to use the time that I have to make a difference and to give back,” Allison said in 2019. “And I cannot think of a better place to do that then right here in Bell County, you know, where I’m from. Where I was raised. And who shaped me into the woman I am today.”

Alliosn, along with the Temple Education Foundation, sought donations of $25 to buy stuffed animals for the children later that year. Additional animals were donated to Foster Love Bell County. A portion of the donations also went toward the Allison Dickson Temple Proud Scholarship through the Temple Education Foundation.

“I’ve spent numerous holidays, and really just throughout the year, times in the hospital. So I know being there, especially during the holidays, it’s not really where you want to be,” Allison told FOX 44 News in 2020.

During COVID-19, Allison went a different route to brighten the day of patients.

“So I think this game cart really fills that gap for them. It is geared more towards the older patients obviously – when you’re old, we’re not going to be playing video games in the hospital,” says Dickson.

Allison also asked people to donate money to be used in her scholarships. She hoped this kind gesture brought happiness to those having a difficult time.

“The children cannot leave their room. They cannot go out and play and escape, and kind of just get away from hospital life,” says Dickson.

The goal was to raise $6,000 to purchase a game cart the teenage patients could use. The game cart helped patients focus on something other than why they are there, and kept them entertained during their hospital visit.

Allison raised almost $16,000. She raised enough money that there is additional funds for the Child Life Department to purchase toys for the kids. Allison said this all wouldn’t have been able to happen without the help of the community.

“People really just came together and saw the need, understood the need, and made it happen,” Dickson told FOX 44 News in 2021.

Temple residents are now sharing their appreciation for Allison and condolensces to the family on social media.