Because of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the great need of the legally scattered homeless everywhere (to also get them off the street and out of the public’s view), we more than doubled our Christmas-giving this year, thanks to donations from our close-knit supporters despite having started our new four-year scholarship flagship program just six months earlier.

While it was easy to initially just pick seven gift cards from Walmart’s Salvation Army Angel Tree and deliver the gift cards to the Salvation Army as was recommended to us, the actual gift-giving for the street homeless took several weeks of preparation. Already fourteen days before Christmas, sale items were scouted and beautiful Christmas bags were purchased from Ross, followed by the purchase of pop-open can goods, hand towels from Amazon, face masks bought by us as well as donated to us, hygiene and feminine products, and the writing of personalized Christmas cards that included $10 for adults and $5 as well as toys for boys and girls in the children gift boxes. To this were added last-minute purchases of loaves of fresh bread and oranges.

The local foodbank assisted in our efforts of also supplying can food to fill Christmas stockings to needy but not yet residence-challenged families.
What we attempted to achieve may have been just a drop in the bucket compared to the needs encountered everywhere. However, to the people that were served, it may have been a lifeline for physical and spiritual survival, and in return also an inspiration to share with others their own meager means.