Letter to the Editor

Coordination results in program

Sunday, October 4, 2009

To the Editor:

The Clay County Christmas Assistance Program is one of the many projects/programs sponsored by the Clay County Cooperative Benevolence Ministry (CCCBM).

Prior to the creation of Christmas Assistance Program, there was no coordination between the various social service organizations, private individuals, businesses and churches within our community.

In many cases, this leads to some families receiving Christmas gifts from more than one organization and other families were receiving no assistance.

With the development of a county-wide application for Christmas assistance and coordinating with the many providers of assistance, we have been able to provide some type of assistance at Christmas to more families who are in need.

The program is not perfect and after being around for a number of years, some groups and organizations are still unaware of the program and its function.

When making an application to the Christmas Assistance Program, each applicant acknowledges that this application does not guarantee assistance. In 2008, there were a number of families who failed to return the application for assistance in by the deadline, returned it to the wrong place, or just failed to apply. Some of these families were assisted by the Brazil Police Department through their Shop-With-A-Cop program.

In 2008, we assisted approximately 340 families in Clay County with 767 minor children.

Thanks to all of our contributors that helped make these families have an enjoyable Christmas.

Without your help, we would not have been able to provide for the families whom are in need the most.

If your church, agency, organization or even yourself would like to contribute to this county wide effort to coordinate assistance toward families in need for this upcoming 2009 Christmas, contact Monica at 812-241-7887.

Monica Wallace,

Brazil