THE FAMILY CHRISTMAS SHOP IS RETURNING for 2009!!! Last year over 100 families were blessed by the shop and we are hoping for even more this year. The vision for the Family Christmas Shop came from my own experience of being helped during one Christmas as a child growing up. A church I had been attending heard that our family was going to have a very hard Christmas one year. They decided to help out by providing a Christmas dinner as well as toys and coats for the kids. We, the kids, loved it and thought our mother did as well. But after a few weeks we learned that although our mom was grateful she was also extremely embarrassed because she was reminded once more that she could not provide for her own family. At the Family Christmas Shop we have created a way for low-income families to help themselves by having a store full of brand new items all marked down 90% where parents and children are able to shop for one another. So although a mother cannot afford a $100 bicycle for her son she may be able to afford a $10 one. We have seen this approach bring joy to countless families by providing them a way to give back to their loved ones. This truly is a "ministry in partnership". During the first three years of The Family Christmas we witnessed over 20 community partners including churches, local businesses, and social service organizations partner together to bring this vision to a reality. We can't thank those pioneers enough for laying the ground work for this year's Family Christmas Shop and many more to come. |
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