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Give back this holiday season




Brown

Brown

Every year during the holidays, our mailboxes are full of catalogs with exciting gifts to buy, as well as pleas for monetary donations from various charities around the world. This year, I would like to encourage you to consider giving gifts to one of the nonprofits featured in this column.  Each of them serves those in need right here in our community. Some are victims of child abuse, others serve children or adults with disabilities. Some provide for the homeless and working poor, or assist families trying to rebuild their lives. 

When you gather around the table this Thanksgiving, consider asking your family to adopt a child this Christmas from the Child Advocacy Center or Special Kids, or purchase gifts for the children and teens served by Kymari House or adults at Journeys. Donate gently-used coats and scarves to Greenhouse Ministries. Purchase grocery store gift cards so that a family can afford a holiday meal.

No matter how you choose to give this year, remember to include your entire family. Children learn about compassion through experience. Doing for others isn’t about getting credit, it’s a matter of the heart.  Please share your heart with our community this Christmas!

CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER  | (615) 867-9000   | cacrutherford.org

The holidays are a joyful time when friends and loved ones gather to celebrate. Sadly, for many of the families served by the Child Advocacy Center, the joy of the season is overshadowed by the emotional and financial toll of child abuse.

How you can help: 

• Sponsor an individual family with holiday gifts for the family and gift cards for food.

• Sponsor an individual family with a Visa, Wal-Mart, or grocery store gift cards.

• Sponsor the Child Advocacy Center through a special holiday donation or in-kind contribution.

For information, contact Jennifer Gamble at the Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford County at (615) 867-9000 or Cassell Galligan-Davis at the Cannon County Child Advocacy Center at (616) 563-9915.

GREENHOUSE MINISTRIES | greenhousemin.org  | (615) 494-0499 | 309 S. Spring St.

Give a Turkey!  Please bring donations of turkeys on Friday, Nov. 16 from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. to Greenhouse Ministries for its Thanksgiving Mobile Food Pantry. Distribution to families in need will take place Nov. 17. 

Winter Apparel Needed: Winter clothes of all sizes, including jackets, hats, scarves and gloves are needed. Please bring donations to Greenhouse Ministries’ warehouse, located at the rear of its building on Academy Street, Tuesday–Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

For more information, contact Bill Rawnsley at bill.rawnsley@greenhousemin.org or call (615) 494-0499.

JOURNEYS IN COMMUNITY LIVING   |  journeysincommunity.org  | (615) 890-4389

Donations are needed for adults with disabilities served by the agency as part of the annual “Heart Tree” project, which begins the day after Thanksgiving. You may visit the website at www.journeystn.org and navigate to the Heart Tree page to select needed items from a list or come to the center at 1130 Haley Road during normal business hours (8 a.m.-4 p.m.) to select a Heart Tree ornament from the tree. Items should then be purchased, wrapped and returned to the organization no later than Dec. 16. For more information, contact Mark Bell at mark.bell@journeystn.org or call (615) 890-4389. 

KYMARI HOUSE  |   www.kymarihouse.org   |  (615) 956-6106   |  308 N. Spring Street

Please bring an unwrapped, unopened toy, board game, card game or art supplies to Kymari House’s Christmas Open House, Friday, Nov. 30, between 5-8 p.m.  You may also donate packaged cookie dough and other treats that can be shared with the families they serve.  If you are unable to attend the Open House, you may drop off donations before Dec. 8. For more information, contact Tonya Hobbs at (615) 956-6106 or at tonya@kymarihouse.org.

SPECIAL KIDS    |   (615) 893.4892  |  specialkidstn.com

The Cornelius Christmas program is offered to the families served by Special Kids every year. The program allows groups and individuals from the community to sponsor the families that are in the most need during the Christmas season. Families caring for children with special needs face financial burdens of all kinds and, at times, there is not enough money to go around for Christmas gifts. This program is an opportunity to care for children and families right here in our community. You can find out more about being a sponsor at www.specialkidstn.com/cornelius-christmas. For more information, contact DeAnn Starling at dstarling@specialkidstn.com  or call (615) 893-4892.

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