by Angela & Dennis Gray
December 2020
Christmas is considered to be “The most wonderful time of the year!” however for the over 4,000 homeless children in Charlotte it may not feel like that to them. The Spirit of Christmas is an event that provides shoes, coats, books, toys and goodies to homeless children so they too can experience the joy of the holiday season while making sure some of their basic needs are met. We aim to feed mind, body and soul to some of Charlotte’s most vulnerable residents.
We have participated in the Spirit of Christmas since its inception and asked R.I.C.’s to help provide healthy snacks several years ago. For the last decade our gingerbread station has serviced between 6,000 – 10,000 children in addition to their parents/guardians and volunteers. The saddest child, lights up at just the sight of our station, grinning from ear to ear as they learn that they get to choose whatever they like from a table filled with all kinds of goodies. Every year has been a different theme but has included a beautifully decorated gingerbread house, all types of candies, cakes, cookies, applesauce cups, cheese sticks, granola bars, etc.
Because we expect the need to be much larger this year due to the higher unemployment numbers and other effects of COVID 19; we will be using #GivingTuesdayCLT to raise money to meet the greater need. Also because of restrictions due to the pandemic, we will experience major changes to what we are able to do this year. So, we will only be able to distribute things that have been prepackaged and since we can’t make a gingerbread house, we will include a kit that will allow the kids to make their own miniature gingerbread house using graham crackers. Additionally, we also want to include a $10 grocery card to each child to help families purchase food for the holiday season. Finally, we also want to continue to include healthier snacks like fruit cups, applesauce cups, etc. along with other traditional treats.
I remember as a kid the first time I heard the phrase, “it is more blessed to give than to receive” and thinking that they must have said that backwards because it’s better to get things, right? However, overtime the meaning has become clearer; it truly is a blessing to have what you need and even more so when you can share what you have with others. We hope that as we prepare to celebrate the end of 2020, a year that has seen too much loss, you will consider those not as fortunate and be a blessing by giving your time, talents or resources to others.
So, until #GivingTuesday, which is December 1st, we will be posting pictures and videos of edible Christmas creations and we are asking you to post your own and use #2020SOCChallenge. You can help by making a donation on our site, $5 will cover the cost of the graham cracker house, $10 the cost of a grocery card gift card, $20 a box for 1 homeless child or $200 boxes for 10 homeless children. We hope that you will help us spread the Spirit of Christmas this year!!
For more information about the challenge, go to https://www.ricsmarket.org/2020socchallenge