Holiday Store 2010

The winter holidays speak to all of us of childhood and of family. But, for many families, the harsh reality of poverty often dims and silences the joy of this wonderful season. For the past 20 years, Southside Family Nurturing Center has been collaborating with generous donors like you to lift the spirits of families who are living in poverty and struggling with turmoil and uncertainty in their lives. SSFNC’s annual Holiday Store is our attempt to give voice to their celebration and to hope.

The Holiday Store offers a place and time for wishes to be granted and smiles found. Each December, staff and volunteers transform our classrooms into a store where parents can come and shop for free , selecting that special toy, game, book, or art supplies for all of their children and something for their partners as well. Living in poverty, our parents are often unable to experience that delight and dignity of choice in selecting those special gifts for their families.

We want our families to rediscover all of the holiday experience.

We welcome them into our building that is filled with joy, laughter, and the bustle of the holidays. This season of sharing is a wonderful time at Southside for children, parents, volunteers and staff; there is music, conversation and the smell of cider and cookies. Our families move through the day with grace and gratitude. Year after year they return home with bags filled with gifts, and with renewed optimism and the knowledge that their community cares.

We often hear from families years after they have moved on from our programs with phone calls or cards wishing a good season and year to come—many even become donors themselves and bring gifts to share with our current families.

You are the key to our Holiday Store’s success and to ensuring that our families receive a small share of the blessings of the season.

Please join us in restoring the joy of the holiday season to families and children in need.