While you’re out shopping and dining and checking off your Christmas list, please consider grabbing a few more items for those in your area that are in need.
There are a number of ways you can help in your community — from food banks to homeless shelters, gifting trees at malls and other organized giving groups. But I’d like you to consider just a couple more ways you can help in your local community.
This week I received an email blast from our high school principal.:
Our Counseling Department and our PTSA have asked me to send the following message to you. As a bit of background, every Friday, we provide food for the weekend for close to 30 of our students who would otherwise have little to eat on a non-school day. These same students have no money to buy clothing or school supplies for themselves, much less anything to get a small gift for the holidays for someone they love. In the past, we have counted on the incredible generosity of our community to help make these students’ lives just a bit easier.
Our Pantry Pack elves would like to include a small gift card in our last Pantry Pack delivery before the holiday break. Our hope is for $25 gift cards to Target or Fred Meyer – this way kids can get presents, clothes or food over the holidays. We also use these cards throughout the school year when we find students need new backpacks, school supplies or other items. Our stash of these cards is running very low at this time so we do not have enough to give one to all 38 of our Pantry Pack kids, not to mention other emergencies that come up. In the past we have had students tell us these cards made their season!
All gift cards can be dropped off in the counseling office! Please drop off by Tuesday December 13th, that way all the students will have time to receive their items. Thank you for helping to make the holiday season memorable for our students!
Now I’m pretty sure that there’s a local school in your area that has the same type of program. Maybe it’s not called “Pantry Packs”. Maybe you no longer have kids in school or you’ve just moved into the area and don’t know anyone. Or maybe you just would like to spend your money in a way that would help local families but cannot stand the idea of going to a mall or toy store.
Go to your local grocery or grocery-department store and buy a gift card. Any amount, or several different amounts would be great. Next, go to any of your local schools — elementary, middle/jr. or high school. Let the office staff know you’d like the card(s) donated to their families in need. I can guarantee that they know who they are and will make sure to get them to those families.
DO IT RIGHT NOW. School closes (for our District at least) this Friday, December 16th.
Merry Christmas!
Paige's Place 