SIU Edwardsville Gifts

During the break the volunteers asked us several questions. From what I gathered all of the volunteers also need the assistance of the pantry. Many asked us how they could help us, assuming we had fallen on hard times. I assured them they we were just there to help them and donate our time. Volunteers receive each goods in their boxes in return for their help.

For the last three years, I have helped organize and assist in coordinating my town’s Breakfast with Santa program. Each year the program is hosted at a local daycare. The program provides each child with a wrapped gift and a Christmas related book. They are also given the opportunity to take pictures with Santa and make crafts. For many of the children, the only gifts that they receive for Christmas are those donated by volunteers. As a

Angel Tree is designed to help families whose income falls below the 2016 United States Poverty Guidelines. The qualified income level is dependent upon the number of persons in your household, so visit aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines to determine whether your family qualifies. If you are already planning to apply for Christmas assistance from another agency or organization, please do not apply for Angel Tree, too. Our goal is to ensure that as many central Indiana children as possible are able to have a special Christmas.

We do some mission work like sponsor the Community Lunch and help around the church. Cookies plates and cards are prepared for our shut-ins and are delivered at Easter and Christmas with a lily or poinsettia.

Many teens, in the United States take advantage of Christmas such as myself. On Friday, December 9th of 2016, I went to the DHR in Geneva, Alabama to wrap Christmas gifts for children in the foster care system. My parents also told me that there are kids that didn’t get anything for Christmas now I know what they meant.

The Salvation Army has raised the third largest amount of money by a private charity, as of 2012 (Flandez). None of this could have been done without donations and volunteer work by regular citizens. The Salvation Army raised four million dollars in 2014 alone (The Salvation Army 2015 Annual Report). 82% of all donations are spent on aiding people in need, but 100%of donations go to aiding people during disaster relief efforts (Ellis). Donations made to the Salvation Army stay in the community that they were donated, this helps keep money in the local economy and helps ensure that donations are going to help people

No matter how old I get, I still can’t sleep on Christmas Eve. As a child, my brother and I would be ushered off to bed early, just to lie there with heavy eyes. We would try so hard to catch a glimpse of Santa Claus. Growing up we are all imprinted with the idea of a portly man in a red suit coming down our chimney to deposit gifts under our tree; that is, if you made the nice list. This ideology is a hundred and fifty year old tradition that encourages a child to believe in a fabricated being in exchange for a reward. As much as our parents try to shelter us from the truth, it is inevitable that we will discover that our beloved Santa is nothing more than a fable. As a child our naivety is attributed to our innocence, but as adults, there is a myriad of information out there for the taking.

The first thing I experienced was organizing the clothing by women’s, men’s and kids’. I noticed that many of the clothing was old but a lot of people that stay at the Salvation Army would be so grateful for just a pair of socks. On my break, I saw a lot of the people having their lunch. They looked like they were happy for the food that they were eating. I also had the opportunity to prepare the sack lunches. It felt really nice knowing that something I prepared was going to be for someone in need.

We all know what Christmas is. At least I hope so. You may not celebrate it, but you know what it is. Some have Hanukkah and others have Kwanzaa. Hanukkah is for the Jews who celebrate the victory of the Maccabees over the larger Syrian army. While with Kwanzaa, people light a kinara and give gifts to each other. This takes place over seven days. Isn't that nice? Seven days of celebration! Christmas however… Is a single day. With Christmas, the children believe in a big, old, jolly man in a red suit called “Santa Clause”. On Christmas night he comes down your chimney, leaves presents and take the milk and cookies. For one thing, that's breaking and entering and for a second thing, he leaves unknown gifts?! You don't know whats in there! It

You bear in mind Christmas early morning as a kid. Initially, you felt the adventure of getting up, going to the tree, and seeing boxes of all sizes and shapes planned for you and just you. Then came the burst of enjoyment and flood of joy as you swindled bows and wrappings to discover the precise products you had actually been wishing for all year. A extraordinary and really enchanting experience for everybody!

Children all over America celebrate Christmas. Some families do not have enough money to buy presents for these kids. These kids’ sadness and deprivation of presents are cured with the helping hand of Operation Good Cheer. Operation Good Cheer is an organization that raises money to buy and ship presents all over America. These presents go to poor families and sometimes to kids in orphanages. Every year in December, hundreds of volunteers gather in an airplane hangar to pack thousands of presents into airplanes to fly around America.

The YMCA also organize a Thanksgiving food drive and toys for Operation Holiday Joy. Team is so excited to work with this military affiliated organization!

Without The Giving Tree, the children in their community wouldn’t experience the joy of Christmas. Poverty can be hard to get out of and it also takes time. That’s where the community comes in and helps, especially during the holidays, like Christmas. Children from low-income families face increased risk factors in their education. With the help of The Giving Tree, children will be happier and will do better in school Therefore, people in the community should come together and support the children that are in need.

The churches of Morgantown often help with missions such as “Operation Christmas Child”. Operation Christmas Child helps kids across the world get a Christmas present, whereas if it were not for this activity, they would not receive a present. Shoeboxes are stuffed full with things for them like; a toothbrush, deodorant, a washcloth, pencils, and a small toy. In the USA, these items seem to be basic necessities; however, some people do not have these types of luxuries. No matter the situation, the churches always try to help people by offering help at all times; a preacher, deacon, or member will help with whatever problem present. If it were not for our local churches, the word of God would not be spread, and our families would not have additional support like they do with their church

Giving Blueday mimics the idea of the national campaign, Giving Tuesday, to lend a focus towards the giving-spirit associated with the holidays. On Giving Blueday, people are encouraged to make donations, of all sizes, to any ‘unit’ associated with The University of Michigan. These ‘units’ include but are not limited to University