Funds needed for holiday programs

By Sam Waller

Several holiday programs provided by the Albany Ministerial Alliance and ResourceCare to benefit local residents are gearing up for another season.

Applications for and funding of programs providing for children through senior adults are being accepted.

ResourceCare works hand in hand with Toys for Tots, asking community members to help them provide holiday presents to all county children who might not get much otherwise.

The facility also coordinates the Adopt A Senior project, which is already well underway.

Information and applications are available at ResourceCare and other locations.

Applications for holiday programs handled by the Albany Ministerial Alliance and The Feed Store, including the Christmas Basket Ministry and Believe Tree for Teens, are available at local churches and The Albany News. Believe Tree applications are also available at ResourceCare.

Completed applications can be turned back in at the same locations.

Believe Tree

For Teens

The Feed Store accepts donations for Believe Tree for Teens, which provides gifts for approximately 40 junior high and high school students in Shackelford County each year.

The teens can be enrolled in the program by either their parents or by a school counselor. The deadline for Believe Tree for Teens applications is Friday, Nov. 18.

Trees will be delivered to local churches by Sunday, Nov. 20. Gifts are due back by Friday, Dec. 9 with gift pickup on Sunday, Dec. 18.

Toys for Tots

Marine SSgt. Doug Beaty coordinates the local Toys for Tots campaign, which provides gifts for Albany children from infants through sixth grade, working through the Resource Center.

Those in need of assistance from the program should turn in a completed application to Resource Care before the deadline at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1.

ResourceCare provides Beaty with the ages and genders of children registered for the program.

The toys will be available for parents to pick up from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at the Youth Center.

Beaty has toy collection boxes set up at Albany High School and Dollar General. Monetary donations are being accepted at Prairie Star.

Adopt A Senior

ResourceCare still needs individuals who would be willing to adopt senior citizens and fulfill their wish lists.

“If someone is not able to adopt a senior but would still like to help, we are needing gift cards to Brookshires so they can buy perishable items such as meat, cheese, bread, and milk,” ResourceCare’s Ragan Riley said.

Riley said items such as unscented lotions and soaps, paper towels, and toilet paper are needed.

Gifts, which should be unwrapped, should be dropped off at the Youth Center by Friday, Dec. 2 so they can be wrapped.

Gifts will be delivered with the Vittles by Vehicle meals by FCCLA students the week of Christmas.

To adopt a senior citizen, contact Riley at 325-762-2447, ext. 102.

Christmas Baskets

The annual food drive, sponsored by the Albany Ministerial Alliance, strives to provide a box filled with the ingredients needed for a traditional holiday meal to families in need of assistance.

Applications, which are available at local churches and The Albany News, are due Friday, Nov. 18.

Baskets will be distributed at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. Moran recipients can pick up their baskets at 3:00 p.m. that day at First Baptist Church of Moran.

Baskets for Vittles by Vehicles recipients  will be delivered Monday, Dec. 19 with their meals.

Donations for the holiday meals can be handed to any ministers in the Alliance or mailed to the Ministerial Alliance at PO Box 3084, Albany, Texas 76430.

Additional Needs

Riley said Resource Care still needs donations for all its Christmas outreach programs. Items sought include blankets, hygiene products (toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, shampoo, etc.), and paper products (paper plates, plastic cups, plasticware, paper towels, etc.).

Monetary donations are also welcomed, Riley said.

Pie Sales

ResourceCare is taking orders for Thanksgiving pies to benefit its Christmas outreach programs.

Pies are $20 each. Choices are pumpkin, pecan, or buttermilk. Pies will be packaged in a box, wrapped with a bow and tagged.

Deadline to order is Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Orders are to be ready Tuesday-Wednesday, Nov. 22-23.

To order, contact Ragan Riley or Mindy Ary at Resource Care at 325-762-2447.

Blanket Drive

Shackelford County 4-H members are collecting blankets for senior citizens and other families in the community.

Anyone wishing to donate a blanket or funds can contact Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell at 325-762-9435.

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