Christmas Cottage is having its most popular year ever! This is one of our favorite programs because it has such an impact on the well-being of an entire family. Kids and teens get great Christmas gifts but the parents also get gifts like microwaves, vacuums, and cookware sets that will benefit the entire household for years to come.
So far we have served gifts to 625 different households and over 2,500 individuals …with only 4 days left before we close our doors until next season we are on track to smash last year’s record number of participants.
We have found a few different factors for the success and unprecedented amount of need this year…with COVID obviously playing a huge part in this. A lot of other organizations in the area with similar programs greatly reduced how they were helping people. Some are not participating at all.
This lack of involvement sent hundreds scrambling to find help that was much needed this time of year.
Luckily, our dedicated team of Case Workers worked through the weekend for the past month, processing every request to shop in the Cottage. This massive effort from our team helped make the difference for so many people in our community.
Teachers, counselors, and principals from local schools also helped us make sure that we could help as many people as possible.
“We streamlined the process for local schools who, working directly with children and families, know when their students are struggling. This process helps us collect the information we need so we can get these families signed up for the cottage quickly!! It is also a relief for these caring professionals who know the families will be served with the respect and dignity for which GRACE is known.” said GRACE Chief Program Officer Stacy Pacholick.
“When you have this amount of demand, assistance like that is a huge help. We love this program so it’s great to see so many people involved.”
Of course, we also have to recognize our wonderful team of volunteers who went the extra mile this year, following COVID protocols and working long shifts in order to spread joy to these deserving families.
Christmas Cottage isn’t easy work but it could be the most rewarding program that we offer. This is a special time of year and we want as many as possible to enjoy it.
There’s still time to participate so if you want to donate items click this link and help a family celebrate a very merry Christmas.
