|
Christmas Wishes
is a program in which volunteers help buy Christmas presents for children
of low-income families in the County. Christmas Wishes is looking for
volunteers to sponsor children for the holiday season. Sponsors can purchase
one gift or all the gifts on the child's wish list. Current volunteers
are making ornaments to hang at local restaurants' "angel trees." Each
ornament will list a child, the age of the child, clothing size, and items
on his or her wish list. The angel trees can be found at four Canton restaurants:
Ryan's Steakhouse, 150 Keith Drive; Shoney's, 150 Marietta Highway; Family
Tradition, 6321 Hickory Flat Highway; and Papa's Pizza To Go, 150 Riverstone
Parkway.
Feed My Lambs is a non-profit, local
ministry whose mission is to open tuition-free Christian preschools for
needy and underprivileged children in metro Atlanta. For the past 17 years,
the ministry has held Happy Birthday Jesus parties at their preschools.
They provide each child with a Happy Birthday Jesus sweatshirt, a winter
hat, mittens and a gift. A dinner is also provided. The ministry needs
financial donations to purchase the gifts. They also need volunteers to
assist in buying, preparing and cooking the meals. For more information,
please call Robin Gibson at (770) 795-9349 or email her at robin@feedmylambs.net.
Holiday Wings of Hope, a holiday project
administered by the Anna Crawford Children's Center, collects holiday
gifts for less fortunate children and teenagers served by the Center.
Each year, the children are treated to a party and toys at Christmas.
Families submit wish lists and the Center fulfills as many wishes as possible.
Donations of food, toys and clothing are needed. To drop off donations
or receive a wish list, please call Leigh Henry at (770) 592-9779.
MUST Ministries will hold its Annual
Toys are a Must Program. The program allows parents and children to
shop for each other at no cost. Children typically receive three toys
each, plus stocking stuffers. Items needed include new toys, Secret Santa
Shop gifts and wrapping supplies. There is a particular need for items
for teenagers such as balls (soccer, basketball, football), board games,
CDs, model cars, diaries, clock radios and gift cards, to name a few.
The shop will be open
Monday - Friday, December 8 - 19, by appointment
only. Children will be able to
|
|
shop for their parents on Saturday, December
20. For more information, please call (770) 479-5397.
Papa's Pantry is
a year-round charity providing assistance to families in need. Papa's
Pantry provides food assistance and support through donated resources.
There are several ways to help Papa's Pantry ease the burden on families
in crisis. The Adopt a Family Program is a commitment to provide
for a family's perishable needs such as milk, eggs, meat and produce.
There are also two drop off locations for non-perishable donations: The
TowneLaker, 1025 Rose Creek Drive, Suite 340 and Sun and Snow Tanning,
200 Parkbrooke Drive. For a complete list of needs, visit www.papaspantry.org
or call (770) 926-7128.
Hillside United Methodist Church is
sponsoring Operation Shoebox. Shoeboxes will be filled with simple
gifts and treasures and sent to children in war-torn and poverty stricken
areas. The church will collect items for the shoeboxes as well as function
as a collection site for shoeboxes throughout the community. If you wish
to contribute any items for the shoeboxes, please contact the Hillside
Music Ministry at (770) 924-4777 ext. 112.
Hillside is also sponsoring their Annual
Angel Tree from November 16 through December 14. This program serves
500 needy children in Cherokee County, and these children would not have
a Christmas without being "adopted." The tree, located in the Visitation
Room at the church, has stars representing individual children. The stars
contain a child's name, age, needs, and wish list items. Anyone in the
community can adopt a star and make a child's holiday
season happier. For more information on the Angel Tree program, please
call Diana Calvert at (770) 516-6212 or LeeAnn Jones at (770) 928-7449.
The Salvation Army is looking for
volunteers to ring bells during its Annual Season Kettle Drive
in Cherokee County. Volunteers are needed to work the kettle sites from
9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday and Saturdays through Christmas as well as Christmas
Eve. Individuals can volunteer for shifts as short as an hour. Money raised
through the drive is used by the Salvation Army Center in Canton to help
needy Cherokee County residents. For more information or to volunteer,
please call (770) 720-4316.
|
|
