On Easter morning, 2009, illness kept Lisa Morahan from giving her almost-two-year-old son the thrill of a big Easter basket waiting for him as he came downstairs. One year later, she made it up to him—and helped dozens of families going through similar situations in the process.

Eighty days after Morahan was diagnosed with cancer, she launched the Saratoga-based nonprofit Floydwarriors, a support system that helps families navigate the first few months of cancer treatment through simple but meaningful acts.

Each spring, that mission comes to life by way of Project Easter Bunny, an initiative that provides Easter baskets filled with toys, candy, and—of course—a chocolate bunny to children of families just like Lisa’s. This year, Project Easter Bunny’s 17th, is special for Lisa: Her son, the inspiration behind Project Easter Bunny, is heading off to college.

“I remember having him in the cart at the dollar store, maybe around the age of three,” Morahan says. “I asked him if he could promise to Mommy that he could keep a secret—that I was a secret agent for the Easter Bunny.”

Now, some 16 years later, Floydwarriors relies on community donations and volunteers to help shop, assemble, and deliver Easter baskets. This year, Project Easter Bunny is scheduled to put together close to 150 baskets for families in need at the end of March. Technically, volunteers fill baskets with faux grass, sort candy, and load baskets into cars for delivery. But what they’re really doing is offering a sense of joy and normalcy for local families whose lives have become anything but normal. To contribute financially, or to volunteer your time, visit floydwarriors.com.