Another year flew by! I can’t believe this is Richie’s Christmas Layaway Angels' 11th year! Last year was our most successful year so far! We raised over $4000 for local families to help with their Christmas by paying off their layaway or blessing them with a Walmart gift card! My heart is full and so excited about doing the same this year and trusting that God will lead us to those who need it most. I truly cannot thank all of our friends and family enough for your continued support over the past 10 years and what it has meant to many families in need and to our family for keeping Richie’s memory alive! I am so grateful for each and every one of you; without you, there is no Layaway Angels! When we started this, I didn’t know how it would go or if we would be successful. I was overwhelmed from the first year by the kindness and generosity of everyone who knew Richie and even some who didn’t know him at all! There have also been many who have paid it forward after being blessed a previous year. That also warms my heart; there is no greater blessing for me at this very difficult time of year without our son. I know many of you have also lost a loved one, and I pray that you feel their spirit with you this Christmas and are surrounded by God’s love and blessings!❤️

Last year, we helped a mother who had lost her job and had several small children, with one of them having special needs. She was so grateful that she would be able to put gifts under the tree for her children! There was a homeless man that we gave one of the gift cards to; his story was heartbreaking as he had lost virtually all of his family. He shed tears, and so did we. So many people are so touched by the act of kindness that they are in disbelief at first—some speechless, some in tears, some have even asked if it’s okay to give the $100 Walmart gift cards to someone who needs it more than they do. Some say they will use it for food, some to buy gifts, some saying they didn’t know how they were going to pay for their Christmas, and a prayer had been answered at the last minute with Richie’s Layaway Angels! Not every encounter has a story, but every layaway that is paid for or every gift card that is given is filled with love from Richie’s Layaway Angels! We always give out a card that has our story along with Richie’s picture with each layaway payment or gift card that is given, telling how our friends and family have helped keep Richie’s memory alive by giving to help a local family at Christmas!

Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart again! There was a time after Richie passed that I didn’t want to do Christmas, knowing it would never be the same without him. Richie’s Layaway Angels has given me something to look forward to at Christmas, and with each donation, big or small, he is remembered and others are blessed! Let’s kick off the 11th Annual Richie’s Christmas Layaway Angels! ❤️