For one Franklin woman, whose husband is unable to work after a recent surgery, finding the money to buy Christmas presents for their 15-year-old daughter is difficult.
“We only get paid once a month,” Patricia Griffin said.
Griffin stays at home to care for her daughter and husband, who recently had a kidney transplant and is now receiving disability benefits. She turned to the United Way for help providing a Christmas for her family and was able to get presents through the annual Christmas Angel Tree Store.
Griffin, who came to the event hosted by the United Way of Johnson County one previous time, is thankful for the support she has received through the community. Makeup and fingernail polish were among the gifts she selected for her daughter as she walked through Grace United Methodist Church in Franklin on Wednesday morning.
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Click here to purchase photos from this gallery“It means a lot that that they do this for people,” she said.
The United Way of Johnson County expects about 1,600 children from more than 600 families to receive gifts through the Christmas Angel program this year.
Some families receive presents directly through sponsors, who go out and purchase gifts for them. Others are invited to the Angel Tree Store at Grace United Methodist Church to select gifts for their children.
The store, operated by the United Way and the church, is stocked with donated gifts for children up to the age of 18, separated by age and gender onto an array of tables. Families were able to choose four or five gifts per child, along with a Barbie doll, skateboard or sports ball, five stocking stuffers, a stuffed animal, a book and one board game per family.
Volunteers armed with large plastic bags guided parents and grandparents through the room, helping them pick out gifts.
After a Franklin grandmother learned she would be taking care of her 13-year-old grandson this Christmas, she knew she would need to find a way to provide presents for him.
Kim Lane described the situation as an unexpected blessing. A remote-control helicopter, Star Wars trivia game, books and gloves were among the items Lane chose for her grandson.
A Whiteland woman who had been homeless for several weeks in November was grateful to be able to give her two daughters, ages 13 and 7, a Christmas.
Lacy Reeves, her boyfriend and daughters had to leave their apartment due to financial issues. They spent four weeks homeless before finding a new place to live at the end of November.
“We couldn’t have given the kids Christmas without help,” she said.
Reeves picked out a skateboard for her 13-year-old daughter.
Dolls, more dolls, coloring books and scarves made up some of the other gifts they selected, she said.
The United Way works with Johnson County schools to help identify families who need assistance, United Way of Johnson County Executive Director Nancy Lohr Plake said.
Families in need also were able to sign up with the United Way, which verifies if they are on public assistance or meet the organization’s income guidelines, she said. Other circumstances, such as a recent medical crises, job loss or loss of housing is considered as well, Plake said.
“It is a really great feeling that our community comes together and provides the resources to make sure the children of Johnson County have something underneath their tree on Christmas morning,” she said.
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Here is a look at how many people the Christmas Angels program has assisted.
Families invited to shop at the store
2014: 163
2015: 118
2016: 188
Children helped
2014: 401
2015: 290
2016: 458
Families sponsored by Christmas Angels
2014: 542
2015: 529
2016: 456
Children helped
2014: 1,355
2015: 1,359
2016: 1,171
Christmas Angel sponsors
2014: 131
2015: 128
2016: 132
Toy sponsors
2014: 35
2015: 31
2016: 29
Total children helped
2014: 1,756
2015: 1,649
2016: 1,629
SOURCE: United Way of Johnson County
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