Group Homes Christmas 2017
Donation protected
I am teacher in a Glendale Arizona school district. I have had several of my students who live in group homes. Several years ago I became aware that some of them did not get to spend Christmas with any of their families and spent Christmas day at the group home.
This project started with my wife, few teachers, and a couple from my Life group at church, who wished to help out. Last Chrstmas we shared Christmas with 40 boys and 40 girls last Christmas. We are looking at adding another girls group home and a boys group home this Christmas season for a total of 100 kids.
Between GoFundMe and some off line donations last year we were able to afford to buy each kid socks and/or an article of clothing, a personal gift, movie money in the form of a gift card that covered a movie, drink, and popcorn, plus an additional card for the workers to buys "extras" at the theater. Additionally we purchase items such as footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, writing and painting supplies. Plus, we take them out to breakfast at Denny's on Christmas morning. Breakfast is the big deal to the boys and girls. For many of these kids this is the first time they have eating in a sit down resturaunt with a menu. We do breakfast in two shifts one for boys and one for girls. Denny's reserves the back portion of the resturaunt for me now. The waitress are as excited as we are for this day. Several have been serving the kids for a couple of years now.
For several of the boys this is becoming their Christmas tradition, as I have seen several of them the last couple of years at Christmas and they tell the others what to expect. I overheard one of the boys who also one of my students at the school I teach at, introducing me to one of the new boys as the "Christmas Dude". That in itself would make it worth the effort. For some of these kids this will be the first Christmas they have had that is special and they will remember.
Please give early as this makes the shopping for socks and other gifts easier, as well as for budgeting.
You generous donations make this effort available to more kids each year. Thank you so very much. #GoBeyondGiving
This project started with my wife, few teachers, and a couple from my Life group at church, who wished to help out. Last Chrstmas we shared Christmas with 40 boys and 40 girls last Christmas. We are looking at adding another girls group home and a boys group home this Christmas season for a total of 100 kids.
Between GoFundMe and some off line donations last year we were able to afford to buy each kid socks and/or an article of clothing, a personal gift, movie money in the form of a gift card that covered a movie, drink, and popcorn, plus an additional card for the workers to buys "extras" at the theater. Additionally we purchase items such as footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, writing and painting supplies. Plus, we take them out to breakfast at Denny's on Christmas morning. Breakfast is the big deal to the boys and girls. For many of these kids this is the first time they have eating in a sit down resturaunt with a menu. We do breakfast in two shifts one for boys and one for girls. Denny's reserves the back portion of the resturaunt for me now. The waitress are as excited as we are for this day. Several have been serving the kids for a couple of years now.
For several of the boys this is becoming their Christmas tradition, as I have seen several of them the last couple of years at Christmas and they tell the others what to expect. I overheard one of the boys who also one of my students at the school I teach at, introducing me to one of the new boys as the "Christmas Dude". That in itself would make it worth the effort. For some of these kids this will be the first Christmas they have had that is special and they will remember.
Please give early as this makes the shopping for socks and other gifts easier, as well as for budgeting.
You generous donations make this effort available to more kids each year. Thank you so very much. #GoBeyondGiving
Organizer
David Levesque
Organizer
Glendale, AZ
