During the holiday season, 213 donors provided gifts and basic needs for 2,128 Family & Children’s Services’ (FCS) children and families in need through the annual FCS Holiday Assistance program.
For so many FCS clients, December is a month filled with complex decisions. Many low- and no-income families want to give presents to their children and are tempted to skip paying bills in lieu of gifts. The Holiday Assistance program was created to help our neediest families with this type of holiday stress.
Donors had two ways to give: Adopt-a-Family or donate to the FCS Santa Shop. The way it works is that each FCS caseworker and therapist identify clients active in treatment who need holiday assistance. This year, 157 families (730 individuals) were adopted to receive assistance.
About 1,168 individuals (children and adults) were helped through the FCS “Santa Shop,” a place where caseworkers can provide help for their clients’ needs. This year, $18,716 was donated and 100% percent of that money was used to purchase items given to overburdened individuals in the form of 814 HUGS (hats, underwear, gloves, and socks), 170 books, 532 coats, and 2,443 toys, and games.
Thanks to this year’s annual donation by the Bike Club, Two Men & a Truck, and the Sanford & Irene Burnstein Foundation, 230 bikes were gifted to children this week from Family & Children’s Services Women in Recovery, Child Abuse and Trauma, and the Early Childhood Program.
During the last 14 years, Humble Sons Bike Company, Natalie Cash at 106.1 The Twister, The Sanford & Irene Burnstein Foundation, and so many others have given more than 2,769 bikes to children served by FCS (Family & Children s Services).
The clients we served were grateful to all donors who helped make the holidays warmer and brighter. We gratefully pause to give all our supporters’ thanks.
If you would like to help all year long, please consider donating to FCS.
