Saturday, December 7 GAP Community Center hosted our annual Christmas Store, offering families in need the opportunity to make it a Christmas to remember for their kids. We partnered with a dozen local agencies and schools who referred families that are struggling this holiday season, including Lewis School of Excellence, Family Focus, and By the Hand Club for Kids.
On Saturday, parents were able to “shop” the store we created with hundreds of donated, new gifts. We want parents to have the dignity of choosing the gifts and presenting them to their own kids on Christmas. We also invited families to bring the kids with them to play in the Winter Wonderland created by our partner Grace and Peace Church. Activities there included bounce houses, face painting, holiday snacks, ornament decorating, and visits from Santa. Most kids loved it so much they didn’t want to leave!
Families came to us with heart-wrenching stories of difficulty during the holiday season. One woman shared that she was now raising her four grandchildren after her daughter suddenly passed away this year. She had no idea she would be having to provide all the gifts for her daughter’s kids, so to receive them at the GAP Community Center Store meant she wouldn’t have to worry about compromising her finances to celebrate the holiday.
Thanks to our partners at Lombard Christian Reformed Church, each family was able to go home with a turkey dinner for the holidays, and a private donor provided over 200 coats for any child or parent that needed one.
All of the gifts, coats, and turkeys that didn’t go home with families were donated to Lydia Home for the children in foster care that they serve.
By the numbers:
302 kids received gifts
86 families served
775 gifts
220 winter coats
120 turkey dinners
This event is made possible by many partners, donors, and volunteers. Thank you to all 130+ volunteers that showed up on Saturday to help out! We appreciate you and the steps you’ve taken to unlock potential in and with our community this Christmas!
