The great news?
Helping Holidays, a local organization aimed at providing holiday meals and Christmas gifts to needy families and children, has more than quadrupled the amount of Ohio Valley people it will help this holiday season.
The greater news?
You still have time to assist them.
“We still have about 25 angels that have not been taken off the tree,” said project co-coordinator Annie Dimmick. “We have done a great deal of fundraising to help them, but the money only goes so far.”
Last year, the small, grassroots effort provided over 60 holiday meals and Christmas gifts to nearly 30 children. Their goal this year WAS to top that.
They did that and then some.
“73 families are receiving meals at Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. That’s 146 total. And over 170 on the Angel Tree,” Dimmick said. “Those numbers scared us. REALLY scared us. But we were very smart about social media outreach, utilizing technology and fundraising, so we will take care of those people.”
Preparing 146 meal baskets, organizing gift donations and fundraising takes a great deal of effort from a small group of people (less than 20). Volunteers with the organization, as well as St., John Church, have been working on this daily since November. Students at St. John Central Academy have been collecting non-perishable food items.
“I do think many don’t realize the amount of work that goes into a project of this magnitude,” Dimmick said. “You give up free time, family time, lunch breaks, time you don’t really have to give. I didn’t think I had ANY time to do this. Truth is: if you look for time, you will find it. You just have to be willing to give something of yourself.”
The motivation for this project, now in its second year, came after co-coordinator Tabitha Hendershot saw a need for such services for children she knew. She approached Dimmick and the two brainstormed.
“We had no idea what we were doing. None,” Dimmick said. “Quite frankly, it scared me. But, when my children were small, I needed help; and I received it. Getting that assistance helped my family to get back on our feet. It felt good to know people cared about my family enough to help. Tabitha and I both just wanted to give whatever we could of ourselves to help others. We want them to have that same feeling. And we want others to join us on this mission to serve.”
So, how can you help? You can sponsor an Angel by visiting https://signup.com/go/OkzhcAH. From there, select the child you want to sponsor and provide the requested information. Additionally, you can bring non-perishable food items to R Barber Shop or St. John’s Church in Bellaire. Cut-off date for all donations is December 16th.
