Citizens For A Better Norwood

Thursday, December 10, 2009

NSL’s Holiday Assistance program seeks gift cards for families

Guest blog by Lupe Gonzalez-Hoyt

Norwood Service League is conducting its annual Holiday Assistance program to help 100 families who have job loss, are unable to work, or who are needy in other ways. NSL is preparing food baskets for 100 families. Members of the Norwood Middle School Honor Society are volunteering Thursday and Friday to assemble 200 old-fashioned Christmas stockings with oranges (Thanks, Kroger!), candy and small toys for 5th Annual Norwood Community Christmas Celebration on Dec. 13. NSL has received toys for needy children up to age 12 from various individuals, companies and organizations.

We don’t want to forget the young people ages 13-18 years old. Can you imagine waking up Christmas morning with no gift while your younger siblings have been blessed with toys? Mom and dad are struggling to pay the rent, get food… there’s nothing left for the teens. Yeah, Christmas is for children, but teens are still children, too. Norwood Service League would appreciate ANY donations of store gift cards for our families with teens. Local retail store cards are the best because these stores are close by, and local businesses are supported. We want to extend charity in our community to people of all ages. Please call Misty at 924-1200 if you can help.

And speaking of young people: I just want to take a moment to brag about two Youth Groups in our city. The young people at Community Missionary Baptist Church have taken on the NSL Senior Shut-In Stockings project for the public health nurse, Betsy, to deliver on her regular route. These teens took the stockings NSL provided and filled them with personal items, sugar free cookies and candy, CD’s, and personalized Christmas cards.

The young people at Cameron Church of God have outdone themselves this year by fundraising, shopping and delivering more toys this year than last year for needy children in our community. Their youth leaders have done a great job of instilling charitable deeds, showing a heart for others and service to the community. I applaud both of these youth groups and their leaders, and so appreciate them all!

I hope CBN blog readers can help us with the store gift cards. And thank you for allowing me to not only ask for help, but for thanking those who are helping us to help the needy in our community.

Norwood is awesome!

Lupe Gonzalez-Hoyt
Norwood Service League