LOCAL
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
Sunday, December 2, 2018 3C
Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
Heather Smith, left, leaves a box of toys with Family Promise of Hall County program coordinator Lynette Cray Thursday,
Nov. 29. Family Promise is hosting a ‘Christmas Promise Store’ for the first time. They are taking toy donations to sell at a
discounted price to Family Promise families.
PROMISE
■ Continued from 1C
items. From crayons and coloring
books to footballs, guitars, stuffed
animals and puzzles. There’s an
Amazon and Target wish list to
offer an idea of the types of dona
tions Family Promise is looking for.
This type of event is the exact
thing of which WomenSource, a
local organization serving women
in the area, wanted to be a part.
“WomenSource focuses on
empowering women,” said Eliza
beth Burnette, executive director
of WomenSource. “It’s our mis
sion to empower women through
programming, and we realize that
families that engage Family Prom
ise are both men and women, but
predominantly women are the ones
that come to their program. So we
felt like that was a natural fit. ”
WomenSource is helping orga
nize volunteers for the store. In
order for the store to run, it will
need to fill positions with people
who take inventory of the items,
price them, set everything up and
actually help it run when it’s open.
Burnette said she already has a
good list of volunteers, but “there’s
always room for more. ”
She’s hoping the store is success
ful and is able to continue for years
to come. Burnette was excited
when Family Promise contacted
WomenSource to help because
she’s focused on giving women
every opportunity to “provide for
their family,” especially when it’s
“coming from their own resources
and their own choices, instead of
being handed” to them.
“We felt like this was a really
good opportunity for women in
particular to have some sense of
participation in the process of pro
viding for their children,” Burnette
said.
Ayers said that is the ultimate
goal. She wants to provide for as
many families and children as
possible, which is why she wanted
to test out the Christmas Promise
Store in the first place. In the past,
Family Promise has had volunteers
sponsor individual families, but this
year, Ayers wanted to reach more.
“Right now, we have the poten
tial to reach about 40 families if we
fill every time slot we have,” Ayers
said. “We thought that is way more
than we served last year at Christ
mas, and then just giving families a
way where they can be proud that
they’ve shopped and paid — even
if it’s just $2 for something — that
they worked for that money and
were able to provide Christmas for
their families.”
CREAM of
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Facts
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££? 60~~—
Top: Family Promise will host a ‘Christmas Promise Store’ at St. Paul United Methodist Church. Above: Opening
on Sunday, Dec. 9, the program is taking donations to sell at a discounted price to families.
NGMC
Gainesville
12-3-18
7 p.m.
NGMC
Braselton
I2-6-i8
7 p.m.
NGMC
Barrow
12-10-18
7 p.m.
In case of inclement weather, the lighting celebrations will take place inside
the main entrance at each location. (Gainesville - North Entrance)
Enjoy a brief musical program, complimentary tree seedlings,
hot cider and cookies! Feel free to visit with Hospice of NGMC
Staff who will he present to offer support and share information
regarding the services provided to patients and family members.
2018 Love Light Chairs: Dr. Anup & Kathy Lahiry
Auxiliary President: Ellen Toms
One hundred percent of Love Light donations benefit Hospice of
Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
Please donate to Love Light in honor or memory of friends, family
or loved ones.
Visit nghs.com/lovelight to donate online, or
for additional information call
