There are many opportunities for giving in Polk County.
F.A.I.T.H. Military Support Group offers the opportunity to sponsor Christmas boxes for those serving in the military. You may sponsor a box for $50. The postage is $25.85 per box and the remainder will go toward the contents.
Each Christmas box is packed with care and includes toiletries, books, granola bars, tuna, Hormel Compleats meals, Skippy peanut butter, Hormel chili, fun toy items, holiday snacks, Christmas cards and homemade stockings made by the local quilt guild. Every care package sent is usually shared by several people.
Formed in 2006, the support group sends care packages monthly and sends extra ones at Christmas time. Since its founding, over 26,000 care packages have been sent to troops representing all branches of the U.S. military.
Donations are accepted as well. Any amount is welcome and will go directly toward supporting the care packages. About $10,000 a month is spent on postage and supplies. Donations may be delivered to 305 W. Mill St., Livingston, Texas 77351.
The Christmas of Hope Empty Stocking Program – through the Polk County Center of Hope – provides the opportunity for parents to bring Christmas to their children. The ministry works for families that need some help putting children’s presents under the tree.
Low-income Polk County residents with children may apply at the Center of Hope throughout the month of November every year. Once enrolled, parents or guardians are assigned a shopping day on the second or third weekend of December.
It’s essentially a store that doesn’t cost anything that allows them to come in and shop for presents for their children. Parents and guardians will have a personal shopper who helps them with age-appropriate selections and they will receive multiple gifts for each child. Gift wrapping stations are available where the parents may wrap the gifts themselves or have someone wrap them for them. About 1,000 children in Polk County who received gifts through the program last year.
For those who wish to contribute, toy bins are located across town at different restaurants and businesses, or gifts can be taken directly to Center of Hope. Cash donations are needed in the process. Over $30,000 is spent in order to create thousands of Christmas memories across Polk County. For more information on donating or obtaining a shopping ticket, call 936-327-7634 or email christmas@centerofhopepolk.org.
Five hundred fifteen families were helped by the Salvation Army this past year thanks to the generosity of the Polk County community. The Salvation Army bell ringers are back at Walmart this year requesting funds to help those struggling in the community. All money that is collected locally stays in Polk County and is administered by local volunteers to help with utility bills and a few other needs that arise.
The Polk County Salvation Army has a long history of helping the less fortunate in the community. Although it started out with limited services, volunteers have been able to expand the number of people assisted because of the generous donations of Polk County neighbors, especially those given at the red kettle during the Christmas holidays. The families are not only given Salvation Army assistance to help them through a crisis, but are provided with other area resources which may be able to help them when there is a loss of income and/or when they have multiple problems. The challenges become overwhelming when they have no other support system, especially if they are a single parent and/or a senior.
The bell ringing takes place at both entrances of Walmart from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Sundays until December 24. Many of the people who have put money into the kettles in Livingston say they are doing so because Salvation Army has helped them in the past when others did not.
Besides donating in the kettles, you may also send a check to P.O. Box 2074, Livingston, Texas 77351.
Another option is contributing to the local Salvation Army account at First National Bank. You may also go to the website at www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/ to contribute and designate for Polk County.
