Mary, a participant in our Intensive Aftercare Prevention Program (IAPP) had been a victim of domestic violence for several years.  Her four children, aged 5 to 16, were witnesses to this violence as well.  When IAPP staff members began working with the family last year, Mary and the three younger children were homeless and the oldest child was in a residential treatment center.   

After several months, she was able to find an apartment and worked very hard to create an environment for her children in which they could all be safe and succeed.  Mary sacrificed in order to provide for her children.  Though they had everything they needed, there simply wasn’t enough left over for Mary to give the children the Christmas she wanted for them.   

Holiday Hope was there to help with gifts and store cards for the children, and gifts for Mary as well. As her Northeast team members helped her use the store cards to select presents for the children, she saved the card designated for herself. As her supporters looked on, Mary said she wanted to use that card to purchase additional gifts for her children.  Mary stuck to her budget, got all the items she had planned and was filled with pride after providing for her children. She said that she felt like she was able to create a Christmas for the kids that they would enjoy.   

Our staff also requested gift items for the whole family like kitchen utensils and board games. Every holiday wish was granted and the family was ecstatic to eat together with their new utensils and play Monopoly after dinner.  After Christmas, staffers returned to visit the family and the children could not stop talking about the gifts that they had received from “Santa.”   

Holiday Hope gave the children the gifts they wanted, provided Mary the chance to give even more to her children and enabled the family to treasure the warmth and togetherness of the season.  With your help, we can help many other families like Mary’s.