Some people leave behind legacies written in stone. Meagan Taylor Arant left one written in JOY.
This December, as hundreds of children in foster care attend our annual HoliJOY celebration, they’ll discover a brand new space nestled in the heart of our signature event... Meagan’s Enchanted Forest. It’s will be a mystical place where imaginations glow as brightly as Christmas lights, and where children choose magical Trees of JOY to decorate and carry home... no matter where “home” may be in that moment.
For the last two years, one of the most beloved parts of HoliJOY has been our Trees of JOY station where each child chooses and decorates a small 18-inch holiday tree to take home with them. This year, and every year forward, that space will live on as Meagan’s Enchanted Forest, made possible by the love and generosity of her family and friends.
These aren’t just any 18" trees (picture the classic Charlie Brown tree). At HoliJOY, they’re symbols of hope, healing, and home. With each light, ornament, and ribbon, children in foster care and shelters are reminded that they matter and that their presence brings magic to the world.
Meagan adored Christmas lights. So, beginning this year, each tree in the Forest will sparkle just a bit brighter with strands of lights added in her honor, to keep her spirit glowing and remind the children who choose a tree from Meagan's Magical Forest that each of them has a light inside of them, too.
From this year forward it will be in loving memory of Meagan as her memory inspires the children to be brave, know they are cared for, and reminded that they, too, have a light inside of them.
Meagan passed away on April 18, 2025, after a brave and fiercely fought battle with melanoma. She was only 34. A daughter, a friend, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran, a Nevada Highway Patrol dispatcher, and a flight attendant who brought comfort and light at 35,000 feet. Meagan lived a life of courageous service and spontaneous warmth. When she smiled, you smiled. When she walked into a room, you felt seen. When she listened, you felt safe.
She always wanted to volunteer with Share in the JOY. Every time I told her about our events (especially ones supporting youth in foster care!) she lit up. She’d say, “As soon as I’m strong enough, I’m coming to volunteer.”
That day never came. But her heart is still here. Her JOY is still here. And now, to honor her memory in a way worthy of her legacy, her light will shine on the branches of 18" magical trees and in the lives of the very children she wanted to serve. Brave like she was when she served our country. Cared for like she cared for others. And the same light that shined so bright inside of her will shine from the branches of their trees as a reminder that the light inside of them is just as bright.
When a child walks through Meagan’s Enchanted Forest and selects a tree, we hope they hear this message echo in their heart:
“You are brave, cared for, and filled with a light that shines bright. May the JOY you felt the day you chose your tree from Meagan’s Enchanted Forest stay with you always.”
Because that’s exactly how Meagan made people feel.
All donations made in Meagan’s name will go directly to funding the trees, craft supplies, and magical decorations that bring Meagan’s Enchanted Forest to life at HoliJOY. Every dollar ensures a child gets the full experience she would’ve wanted for them... A chance to dream, a chance to create, and a chance to feel loved.
To donate:
🔗 Donate to Meagan's Enchanted Forest
📱 Or text “Meagan” to 41444
This holiday season, we won’t just remember Meagan, we will feel her. In the sparkle of a tree. In the eyes of a child holding it close and taking it to wherever they are calling home in that moment. In the unspoken message: “You are worthy of JOY.”
Thank you, Meagan, for lighting the way.
