Christmas Charity

[kmf563]

I need some help finding what I am looking for! We've decided instead of having a Christmas party at work this year, we want to adopt a family and provide Christmas for them. They used to have a setup at Penn Square Mall where you could actually pick a child's list off a tree and buy the items he/she needed. Does anyone know of an agency or church that does something like this? We don't want to just drop toys off in front of the stores, we are looking for something a little more personal. And I am looking for something in Oklahoma City.

???

[lscraig1951]

I know of a family in need of adoption for Christmas. It includes a boy, Jeremy age 10, a girl, Candace age 9, their great grandmother, Vernie age 94, their grandmother, Linda and grandfather Haskell. These kids will not have a Christmas if I (Linda) cannot find someone to adopt them. My mother cannot help them with Christmas as she helps by putting a roof over their head. my husband is disabled and in process of SSI eligibility, I myself had to quit working to take care of all of them. I am not in good health myself, so any help will be appreciated.

[Karried]

We have been talking about adopting a family here on OKCTalk but haven't gotten very far due to the logistics of choosing a family and coordinating the whole process.

I'm not sure if we can pull it off this year but I can imagine we might be able to gather a few personal 'Santa's Elves' if we needed to.

Does anyone else have nominations or know of a needy family that might not otherwise have a Christmas without a helping hand?

[escan]

At my old job, we used to contact DHS...they usually had a family in mind. Also, Positive Tomorrows...sadly, no longer a school because of federal funding, still has programs to support homeless families with children. If you will contact them, they will give the specifics of a family in need.

[Oh GAWD the Smell!]

At my old job, we used to contact DHS...they usually had a family in mind. Also, Positive Tomorrows...sadly, no longer a school because of federal funding, still has programs to support homeless families with children. If you will contact them, they will give the specifics of a family in need.

When I was doing Toys for Tots we got our family names from the DHS...And I was out there, dressed up in my dress blues...Loading boxes of toys into Jaguars and Caddys while getting yelled at by ungrateful mothers bi*ching about the presents not being wrapped.

I'm not saying that it's a bad program, or that needy families didn't get served...Well...Every kid with a name in there got a better Christmas than any 3 of mine combined growing up. That part is fine, I'm all about helping the kids...But not when mom is wearing fur and can't help me carry boxes to the Jag because of her manicured nails.

It left a bad taste in my mouth, and after seeing that for a few years running, I couldn't stomach dealing with it. Ever since, I want to know somebody who knows the family personally before I help out. DHS is too easily manipulated.

[Karried]

Yes, I too would like to hear of a personal story - like the one above.

[kmf563]

Our church did very practical lifepacks for homeless children and single parents through DHS and the shelter. We just filled one of each of these for our donation.

And on a personal note...self promotion and begging was not what I had in mind and really irritates me. You may or may not be in need, but it is not of the Christmas spirit this thread was intended for. There are programs and places you can turn to receive help. You ARE on a computer right, so you must have internet. Do some searching. We all have our own problems - it's a time for giving to others without self gratification or thought. I am a single parent and live paycheck to paycheck. I understand hard times all too well. But where there is a will, there is a way.

[lacie_mac]

We have been talking about adopting a family here on OKCTalk but haven't gotten very far due to the logistics of choosing a family and coordinating the whole process.

I'm not sure if we can pull it off this year but I can imagine we might be able to gather a few personal 'Santa's Elves' if we needed to.

Does anyone else have nominations or know of a needy family that might not otherwise have a Christmas without a helping hand?

ok im gonna go out on a limb here. since the ice storm things may have changed your position to help. my husband and i are both 29 and had 3 beautiful boys. 2 yrs ago we suffered the loss of our 2 oldest boys. they were 7 and 4. we have struggled to keep our head above water. my husband had been in the army reserves for 12 yrs and has received an honorable discharge after we lost our boys. we have one son left who is now 3. my husband has joined the navy now and he his having to start all over. he left here nov 29th for boot camp. i had just enough money to pay bills and buy some (not much) Christmas for our son and nobody else. well, as we all know, the ice storm came and we have been w/o electric for 6 days. our house is total electric. we stayed home trying to hang in there for most of it but then broke and i took my son to a hotel. he was getting sick. now our electric is back on, but i used all our money to by lights, batteries, food, hotel, ect. so, i have no money left to pay bills or to buy any Christmas for my son. i am searching for other areas of help also. but most places that help for Christmas have deadlines that have passed. if you are looking to help a child still, please consider us. i don't ask for anything for myself, in fact i must insist. i am only asking for help to give my son some Christmas. he doesnt get to spend christmas with his dad for the first time in his life, and now i cant even give him a nice christmas.
thank you
lacie

[securityinfo]

It is a bit difficult to decide to help without any means of direct interaction.