While the middle of Summer might not be a time that most people think about Christmas, one group of local children used part of their summer break to help make sure other children in the community can have a happier Christmas.
The First Baptist Kids and other children in the Vacation Bible School program at First Baptist Church raised money during VBS to donate to a local non-profit that distributes food to families in need over the holidays.
This year, the children raised $1,145.47 to donate to the Johnson City Press Christmas Box of Northeast Tennessee program, which is a registered non-profit organization. The Christmas Box program began 37 years ago when local reporters heard about some people in need and pooled together resources to help them out, according to Art Powers, president of the board of directors for the program.
Each year, the program puts together boxes of food to deliver to local families. For families with only one or two people, Powers said the program gives them gift certificates to purchase food rather than giving them a Christmas Box.
“People register through the Salvation Army, which confirms their need,” Powers said. Last year, the program distributed 1,270 boxes of food. The program holds a distribution at the National Guard Armory located in Stoney Creek and a distribution at the fairgrounds in Gray. No dates have been set for distribution yet.
The boxes contain items for a Christmas meal but also contain other items for the family to use beyond Christmas. Box contents change a little each year based on the funds raised and items donated or available for purchase.
This is the third year that the First Baptist Kids VBS has donated money to help the Christmas Box program, according to the Children’s Coordinator for First Baptist Church LeAnn Holly.
Each year, the VBS program materials come with mission project ideas for the kids to take part in, but Holly said many times these ideas focus on overseas missions.
“We like to keep our focus local,” Holly said.
Keeping the focus local also helps the children to not only take part in the effort to raise the funds but also allows them to see the end result. During the summer, the children raise money during their VBS program then shortly before Christmas, the kids help to pass out gift certificates to the elderly through the Christmas Box program.
“That way they get to see the full cycle,” Holly said.