Catholic Charities Reviews Adopt a Family at Christmas
The 15,000 square feet within a building at Cantankerous Creek Square was arid on a recent visit.
But signs of hope could be found everywhere in the Apalachee Parkway and Capital Circle location.
A small Christmas tree was placed on the border of a table nigh the entrance. Boxes of toiletries were neatly packaged. Nearby saturday a handful of portable heaters and fans.
New, unopened packages of blankets were placed on another table. Several shiny bicycles were parked against a wall.
Between November. 20 and Dec. 20, this site at 2990-ii Apalachee Parkway, next to the Leon County Supervisor of Elections Role, becomes total of life and goodwill as the drib-off for the annual Christmas Connection projection hosted past Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida, Inc.
The Tallahassee Democrat over again is partnering with Catholic Charities by encouraging our community to step up and give to those amongst u.s. who are in need.
Christmas Connection cases 2021:Twenty-four hour period 1: Homelessness, illness, adoptions strain families
Christmas Connection was created in 1979, with the goal of helping 25 families in Tallahassee. It concluded up serving over 100.
This yr, Catholic Charities has 550 families from Gadsden, Franklin, Jefferson, Leon, Madison and Wakulla counties identified by social service organizations as needing special assistance this year. The first of 40 cases will begin running in the Tallahassee Democrat in our TLH section and on Tallahassee.com on Thanksgiving Twenty-four hour period.
The personal details offer only a glimpse inside the struggle some of our neighbors find themselves:
► A family of three that has been homeless for two years and living in a motel.
Among the needs: Food, or Walmart gift cards for food; comforter; pots and pans; electrical blanket.
► A 75-yr-former adult female experiencing undiagnosed medical conditions. Her spouse has recently been put on dialysis and is also on oxygen.
Amid their needs: Blankets, nightgowns, angling tackle.
► A family of 11 headed past a mother and begetter who adopted children and are the custodial parents to their grandchildren.
Needs run the gamut from household items, gift cards, sports equipment, and toys.
Example after case exemplifies challenges faced past households headed past single parents, couples, and grandparents responsible for multiple generations. They need aid, from basic habiliment to food items to household items, educational items – and toys for Christmas.
"I can tell you childrens' learning toys is our biggest request," said Lisa Harvey, a retired state employee who is Christmas Connection Coordinator for Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida.
The second about pop items are Barbie dolls and baby dolls, followed past arts and crafts supplies and remote-control toys. Of class, bicycles are in need.
Meeting the requests is where yous are needed. Terminal year, 68% of the 450 families were adopted, while requests from the remaining families were met past community donations.
The 550 families cover 2,134 individuals, who need assist. Of those:
- 25% are children under 5.
- 25% are between ages 6 and 12.
- xv% are teenagers.
- 7% are senior citizens, or 65 and older.
The oldest person existence supported this year is a 93-year-sometime woman who loves bingo, crocheting and "babysitting her two 1000-dogs," Harvey said.
"I'g extremely hopeful that people will be as generous as they have in the past," Harvey said during a pre-opening interview. "Last year was a very good yr despite the pandemic. We are comfy and confident that we will be able to come across the needs of the 550 families that nosotros are supporting."
Stance:Recognizing the good in our lives every day makes every day of living more rewarding
Guest cavalcade:Community came through in the pandemic clutch for Christmas Connection | Lisa Harvey
Contact Community Editor Byron Dobson at bdobson@tallahassee.com or on Twitter @byrondobson.
How to help
- Donate in person: Drib off donated items at the Christmas Connectedness warehouse at 2990-2 Apalachee Parkway, next to the Supervisor of Elections role. The warehouse is open up 10 a.chiliad.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and i-v p.m. on Sundays. Days of functioning are Nov. twenty-23 and November. 28-Dec. 20. Deadline for donated items is Dec. 15. (Please do Non driblet off items at the Tallahassee Democrat.) Donations tin can besides exist dropped off at Morningstar Storage, 5600 Roanoke Trail, Tallahassee. Hours are ix a.m.-6 p.1000. Monday-Fri; 9 a.chiliad.-five p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.grand.-2 p.m. Lord's day.
- Wish Listing: Shop early and shop easy with the Christmas Connection Amazon wish list. You can view the wish list at the website TheChristmasConnection.org.
- Coating Day:Drop off new blankets and heaters from x a.one thousand.-vi p.one thousand. Sat, December. four and Lord's day, Dec. v, 1-5 p.m. at the Apalachee Parkway location. A volunteer volition help you unload your car.
- Donate online or past postal service: Make a monetary donation online at TheChristmasConnection.org or send a check to Christmas Connection, P.O. Box 20165, Tallahassee, FL 32316.
- Adopt a family:Complete a cursory request form on the website and a family in demand will be assigned to you by the volunteer adoption coordinator. All families are referred to us from social service organizations in the Big Bend area.
- Host a Christmas Connection collection drive or vacation party:Assemble people from your part, school, church, sports team, family or friends and host a political party or collection bulldoze to benefit neighbors in need. You can sign up online on the website and and so collect gift items, gift cards and/or monetary donations, which can be brought to the collection site during regular operating hours.
- Volunteer:You can sign upwards on the website to donate your fourth dimension and talents. Due to COVID, they are limiting how many people tin volunteer at one fourth dimension.
- About needed items this twelvemonth: Bikes, souvenir cards, blankets, towels, teenage gifts, heaters (electric/infinite), housewares, diapers and nonperishable foods. All donations MUST exist new.
- Website:TheChristmasConnection.org
Source: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2021/11/24/how-you-can-change-lives-struggling-local-family-christmas/8689994002/