Holiday Helpers Accepting Donations
Written by Andrew-Rossi on December 8, 2017
Close to 300 families will not go without a proper Christmas this year, thanks to the hard work and dedication of a crew of volunteers who make sure that the holidays are merry.
The Holiday Helpers movement is spearheaded by Jacque Sims, who calls her annual project a passion. Sims, who works full time for UPS, spends over a month every year organizing and gathering donated items that her crew of volunteers wraps and distributes – although some of the gifts that are given don’t come in packages.
Sims says that she has a crew of 5 or 6 volunteers that are the core group that has worked together every year for over 15 years – but she says the community comes out in force to help make the magic happen. Individuals, businesses and service organizations donate money and time, but Sims says many of the people who assist in the effort have actually been recipients in past years.
Sims points out that the most requested items each year aren’t toys or clothes, but simple staples like toilet paper or food items. She says that many of the things that we take for granted are items that are luxuries for some people in our community. Families who wish to receive gifts from the Holiday Helpers must sign up at the DFS office on Rumsey Avenue.
This year’s efforts are being coordinated out of a building that was donated for use by Brett Whitlock. Donations will be accepted through December 18th, and packages will be delivered on the 23rd. Anyone who wishes to donate to the Holiday Helpers can contact Jacque Sims at 899-4936.
