The holiday season is here and it truly is meant to be the most joyous time of year. Christmas is around the corner, kids are now entering winter breaks and will begin anxiously waiting for those gifts under the tree.
For many families, this is a time of gathering and giving to one another, and to spend time with the people you may not see often. For many other families, though, this time of year can be extremely hard.
Between paying for gifts to give to their children on top of the bills that already need to be paid, the money can be tight — if even there at all. Now imagine adding two birthdays into December as well.
That is the exact case for one mother who is in the midst of recovering from shoulder surgery while trying to figure out how ends will be met this December. She has been out of work for three months due to the surgery and will be out for a couple more.
Without being able to go to work she has been struggling to manage her day-to-day bills and put food on the table. With the holiday season here, she now has to worry about gifts for her children, not only for Christmas but for their birthdays as well.
On top of all of that, she gains no help from the children’s father, which leaves her to manage everything on her own.
This mother is seeking help to give her children a bright and merry Christmas, one they will remember for years to come. She wants to give her children the same Christmas experience all parents want to give their children. She wants to see them grin ear-to-ear, opening the gifts they’ve been anticipating. And she wants to see them happy.
This mother is expressing her extreme appreciation for anyone willing to help her and her children this Christmas season.
Now in its 58th year, the Item Santa fund helps to make Christmas brighter for the needy. To donate, clip the coupon in The Item and mail it, along with your check, to The Item Salvation Army Santa, 85 Exchange St., Lynn, MA 01901.
This coupon can also be accessed through this link: https://itemlive.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/page.pdf
There is also a way to donate online through the Salvation Army at itemsanta.org.
All donations are listed in Item print editions through the month of December and into 2023, along with a brief message from each donor, if desired.
NOTE: The application period for aid from Item Santa has closed and The Item does not process applicants. All questions about the program and distribution of gifts should be directed to the Salvation Army at 781-598-0673.
