I am a single mother of 3 boys living on a fixed income with no support from Dad. I recently moved to Georgia and don't know what to do to get help around here. My 2 year old has cerebral palsy among other health issues. Every bit of extra money I get goes right back out in trips to Atlanta to the neurologist. Right now I have one toy a piece for my boys and it's looking like that's all they will get. Please point me in the direction to get help for my babies. Thank you so much!
By Chasity G
So sorry for your situation. Are you looking for medical help or Christmas help or both? Georgia has a healthcare program for children called PeachCare For Kids.
www.peachcare.org/
or check with your local DFACS.
and Toys For Tots is a program that helps collect toys for children's Christmas.
toysfortots.org/
Nearly all churches collect toys to give disadvantaged children. Many business's sponsor Angel Tree's where people take a tag with the first name of a child and their age, buy a gift for them and donate it to the business to be given to the children on Christmas.
There is a lot of help out there for children on Christmas, but you have to put your request in soon, don't procrastinate till December or it will be too late.
C.J. is right about the Toys for Tots, however most of the places that do things like that are past the deadline for taking applications. As far as the Angel Trees go, the only way you get to have a name on them is if some organization puts them on. You can't just go to the store and ask them to put a name on it.
The trees put up for various charities. Not all of them are for little kids, some are specifically for teens and some are for senior citizens in nursing homes that have no family.
As far as churches doing gifts for kids the only one I have heard of is the Salvation Army and where I live, their deadline was a week ago. Other churches might do it for needy members of their congregation. There isn't anything wrong with kids only receiving one gift each, that is all any kid needs and that is all each one of my kids got and we were fairly comfortable.
Chasity,
Were you able to find help? If not, I know some places that will help even at the last minute. Just let me know.
Thanks, Amber
I'm a mother of 2 year old twin girls. We have had a rough year and are just barely getting by. Now Christmas is around the corner and if I don't find some help for their Christmas then they won't have one.
I know a lot of charities have already stopped for signing up. I have never had to ask for help so I wasn't sure on the dates. If anyone has any info on anyone or charities that would help it would be greatly appreciated. We live in Calhoun, GA.
How or where might I receive last minute help with my daughter's Christmas? I am so upset and distraught right now and I do not know what to do. I am a mother of a 6 year old, who will be 7 on Christmas day and we have had a rough year. I am not gonna be able to afford Christmas for my daughter this year which is also her birthday.
We live in Palmetto GA, and I just do not know where to turn to. Does anyone know where I might could receive help getting my daughter's Christmas?I had a stroke a year ago. Please tell me where I can find help for Christmas. My son is 15 and my daughter is 13. I also need help with some food. Thank you and God bless.
By Lisa
Your kids are old enough to understand, if you can't get them anything for Christmas. Most of the charities that help with Christmas have an age cut off limit of 12 years. They have to do that for budget reasons. You have known that Christmas was coming for several months and could have bought one item a month. It doesn't have to be expensive things; kids don't need electronic things or clothes with designer names. If you had started earlier, WalMart always has quite nice t-shirts for less than $10.00. Sometimes you can even find CDs and DVDs in the bargain bins.
When you say you need help with food, do you mean on a permanent basis or just for Christmas? There is a difference. If you qualify income wise you could more than likely get food stamps. If you need help with food on a permanent basis, call your nearest Social Services Office, and they will be able to figure out if you qualify for food stamps.
For help with food on a temporary basis, call different churches, because sometimes churches have a means to help with things like that. If there is a Salvation Army where you live, sometimes they will help with food, however, if there is a Food Pantry of some type, that is where you will have to go there. Food Pantries operated differently depending on where you live. Where I live you have to have a referral from a pastor, social worker or something like that. You can also go there only every three to six months, and maybe get a months worth of groceries. That is the way it works here.
Do you have a church of your own, it should help if you do and talk to the pastor of that church. Sometimes they will take up an anonymous special offering to help a needy family. However, your kids must have grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. that will be giving them gifts.
Also you must have some source of income, even if it is a small amount. If you had planned ahead you could have eaked out a small amount of money every month for gifts. I have been done with my shopping for six months.
I am on disability and have 2 children, ages 12 and 6. I have no means to provide them with Christmas gifts and I was wondering if you are aware of anyone that may be able to assist me. Thank you for your time and God Bless.
By Carol Manning from Atlanta, GA
Most places that help have income guidelines, and I have worked in non-profit place several years ago and people that came in asking for help were amazed that the income guidelines were so low, and these people were way above the guidelines and thought they were hardup. I'm sure your kids would be satisfied with one small gift each. I start shopping for my two daughters and four grandkids in January, that is the only way I can afford to do it.
The charities that you may want to check out in your neck of the woods are Salvation Army and Toys for tots. In our area (Wisconsin), Salvation army will probably do an adopt a family program. Your and your kids names will be hung as an ornament on a Christmas tree in a nearby mall. someone will pick your name and then buy presents for your family, get food for the family and get Christmas decorations/tree for the family. Many people have benefited from the program. I do not know if Georgia Salvation Armys do this exact same program but it doesn't hurt to ask.
Like I said before, it doesn't hurt to investigate or ask around. Good luck and I hope your holiday dreams come true for you and your family.
I have volunteered for a national charity called Love, INC. They have branches all over the country. Please click on this link and then click on your state and contact one near you. They will be happy to help you!
If there is not one in your exact city, call them anyway. They have many connections to other organizations who can and will help.
I live in georgia and am having difficulty too. I would suggest toys for tots which you can actually request toys on their website also salvation army or united way. when i called the salvation army they said they take their request in the first week of October and believe most charities take theirs around the same time so You actually have to plan to sign up a few months before Christmas in order to really get help. Just to let you know for next year to start signing up in september or october before christmas at those places.
Angels with Faith Ministries 501c3 non-profit charity announces the kickoff of our Christmas Angels Program on November 1st through which we provide Christmas to 100s of area children who would not otherwise have anything under the tree on Christmas morning.
Since we receive no funding we rely strictly on the tax deductible donations of our community & this year we expect over 1000 children. We have volunteers to pickup donated toys (new& lightly used), bikes, baby needs, gifts for older children, warm clothing, food for holiday baskets, computers, laptops & other electronics such as mp3 players, ipods, tablets, etc. Donations can also be made via paypal on our website: angelswithfaithministries.beep.com
We are hosting a 1 day Christmas Angels festival & Toy drive fundraiser event at Jug tavern Park & Pavilion on December 1st from 7 am until 7 pm. We have live music being played all day by local groups country, gospel & Christmas music, free moonwalks, facepainting & of course Santa for the kids. A Cutest Kids contest (everyone is welcome to enter those cute kids see details on our website) with the grand prize being donated by Disney World Orlando, games, a bake sale (donations needed by November 30th please), silent auctions for authentic autographed Nascar, music & sports legends, raffles all day for those who donate new toys, bikes (new or lightly used), food, gift cards, or by credit card, check or cash for every donation you will receive a raffle ticket for these drawings to be held every 30 minutes for great prizes donated by area merchants.
We will also have our Angel Tree from which you can choose a family or families to adopt or sponsor for Christmas & choose to meet & work with that family personally or through us. All donations are tax deductible & 100% of all donations go directly to providing Christmas gifts, warm clothing & holiday food baskets to Georgia children. Please come out & show your support & love for Georgia's littlest angels! Applications for Christmas assistance available through DFCS & also children's hospital, disabled military groups, Toys for Tots, Salvation Army, etc & can also be emailed to us here after November 1st. You must live in Georgia, have a true financial need for assistance & you must not be receiving Christmas help from anywhere else, we will check.
If you are a vendor & would like to reserve a spot to sell your arts & crafts, Christmas items, etc. please call asap deadline is November 22nd we have 15 spots available for a $25 donation you can have a spot for the busiest shopping weekend of the month. You must provide your own tables & all vendors must remember that we are a Christian charity so no profanity, etc. will be sold.
Lori, director 678-754-1541/Rev Michael Tuck 678-754-2337 volunteers Avis 678-887-1988 Vickie 770-990-4579
email angelswithfaithministriesgeorgia AT yahoo.com
If you live in Georgia and are in need of Christmas help here are some charities that may be able to assist you.
I am a grandmother of 52 years of age. I am currently raising my four beautiful grandbabies. Brooklynn age 1 month, Bricetin age 3, Brieanna age 4, and Brendon 8. I have no transportation to get my babies to appointments, however I am thankful enough to have a government funded apt. I have no child support that I am receiving on any of the children at this time, therefor making our lives very difficult.
I see at this time no hope for even a small Christmas. That is why at this time I am begging on my hands and knees for anyone, anywhere to please find it in your hearts to please help me to provide some help with my babies Christmas. We would be so thankful from the bottom of our hearts. So please take my angels into consideration, it takes so little to make a child so happy. Thank you.
By Margie H. from Rome, GA
Call 211, it is a national Helpline that keeps a list of agencies that provide different types of help for people. The Salvation Army usually provides Christmas help, but in some area of the country they along with other charities band together and form one large organization for providing Christmas help. Where I live that is where 211 comes in handy.
Do you have a social worker, if so they should be able to give you ideas of where to get help. Also ask the pastor of your church if there is any way the church could help. However, all any kid needs is one gift, each. Also you could go to a dollar store and get each one a little gift. A color book and a 8 count box of crayons could be wrapped individually and make two gifts for a child.
For the younger ones use scraps of fabric and make simple stuffed bears. You could probably get scraps of fabric from friends. One year I made a stuffed lamb for my oldest daughter using a free pattern out of magazine and for fabric I used a pretty flowered bath towel that we had received for a wedding present. All I had to buy was the stuffing and I used old buttons for eyes that I made sure were sewed on really good. For regular fabric types you could use a permanent marker to draw on eyes, nose and mouth.
All we have ever given our kids, even now that they are in their 40s is one gift each, and that applies to our grandkids who range in age from 15-25 years. I have never spent more than $20.00 each on them. If I find a $20.00 item on sale for $20-15.00, it still counts as a $20.00 item. I also start shopping in January and have been done for at least a month. I have to plan ahead to do Christmas.
I live in Rome, Georgia and over the last two years I have been through some things and it has affected my health and my doctor wanted me to take it easy so with the pay from my job, it's not much money after I pay bills. So I was wanting to know who do I contact for a little help with Christmas this year. My neighbors said some places help, but they couldn't remember when they do start helping.
Thanks.
This year has been really tough for our family we have been through a total of 4 deaths. It's been a struggle for us to get back on our feet. We have a 9 year old daughter who's expecting Christmas. I have done everything possible to try to make it happen and I'm still not going to give up, but I'm thinking we need a little extra.
We live in the White, Georgia area. If anyone knows any organizations that are helping this year I am praying I'm not too late.
