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Sarah’s Inn Annual Holiday Gift Project Saturday December 12, 2009
For the past several years Sarah’s Inn has transformed itself into a magical holiday gift shop where clients of Sarah’s Inn can “shop” for gifts for their children at no cost to themselves. In past years the Holiday Gift Project has provided gifts to as many as 150 children and teens. The Holiday Gift Project is especially important during these very tough economic times when women who survive domestic violence and move their families to safety often find themselves well below the poverty line in the first years as they work towards self-sufficiency. “For many, the “first Christmas” is the hardest as they newly define their homes and what they can provide for their families. It is the easiest time to become discouraged and despair”, says Sarah’s Inn Executive Director, Regina Botterill.
The reality of the Holiday Gift Project allows the women we serve to be able to make decisions about their families’ safety and well being without worrying about whether or not they will be able to provide gifts for their children during the holiday season. The “gift shop” affords women the opportunity to choose gifts for their children and to make their own decisions about how to provide for them. The day itself also provides the women with an opportunity to relax and be pampered as volunteers provide child care, deliver coffee or hot cocoa and assist with the shopping, wrapping and carrying!
The success of the Holiday Gift Project begins with our partners; businesses and community organizations that host a donation box and the community; those who donate a new gift item. If your business or community is not hosting a donation box please drop your gift off at our office in Oak Park. All monetary donations including gift cards can be mailed to us at PO Box 1159, Oak Park, IL 60304. We do ask that donors avoid giving violent or sexist toys or games and attach a gift receipt whenever possible. For an easy Holiday Gift Project purchase please consider a gift card in denominations between $15-$25 from major retail stores such as Target or Walmart. For help with gift ideas the Holiday Gift Project is registered at Target (TargetList ID# 012399101243445). This year we will also be accepting gifts for women as well as wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbons and bows, allowing the women to take the gifts home wrapped and ready to give or wrap them at home.
Families interested in participating must pre-apply. For information on obtaining an entry ticket, please contact an Advocate through our Crisis Line, at (708) 386.4225.
For more information about Sarah’s Inn’s Annual Holiday Gift Project please contact Colleen Sutkus at (708) 386-3305 x1026 or csutkus@sarahsinn.org.
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