Christmas is the time where love and hope collide. It's when The Salvation Army starts to provide toys to boys and girls aged 12 and below, commencing this Dec. 15. Thanks to the benevolent donors of Charlotte and the people contributing to the Charlotte Observer's Empty Stocking Fund, thousands of children will receive hope and have a happy holiday experience.
There is another obvious need, however. The reason why the parents registered their kids is because there is a financial burden and it is heavy, especially during this month where everybody is giving, cards are swiped and bills still have to be paid promptly. Because of such, the agency included a job fair during the registration process.
In partnership with the companies Harris Teeter, Family Dollar and four other entities, the mothers and fathers of 5,000 different households were given a chance to engage in job interviews in the hopes of landing a better-paying profession.
Another tear-jerking surprise is in store for the families struggling under hard times. Upon coming back to get their toys on Dec.15-16 and 19-20, each brood will get a box of food to keep their holiday tradition alive. Thanks to the supplier/collaborator Second Harvest Food Bank, families will be spared the pain of not having a decent meal to share this season. For some, eating a hearty meal during Christmas may be an expected event but for these people, it would really mean a lot.
Also, this year, The Salvation Army is partnering with the Greenville County Library System to offer free personal development classes for parents as an additional component to the Christmas toy assistance provided by The Salvation Army in previous years, informs The Salvation Army.
This is a good change in the program this year. Registered adults were given the opportunity to learn new knowledge from topics varying from financial literacy to family skills offered during the lessons.
The program, delighting 3,300 children with toys last 2015 via the Empty Stocking Fund, has raised around $370,000 every year. Right now, The Salvation Army seeks to spread the holiday cheer to adults in hopes of them to make it financially in the succeeding months to come.
Kyra Stewart, a 33-year old mom of kids aged 1 and 6, moved to Charlotte from The Big Apple, aspiring to provide a better life for her young ones. To her dismay, it didn't work out as well as she wished. Stewart was filling out a prayer request, when a probable answer to her pleas caught her attention. Kyra saw the job fair.
"I've been worried about how I'm going to make it, and now I turn around and here is a job fair. It offers hope and makes you feel like somebody cares what's happening to us, the mother of 2 tells WBTV.
More people are in dire need of the hope Kyra now holds. Receiving may cause happiness but it really is in giving where one finds true joy.
