An Affordable Christmas

On Sunday afternoons, Mrs. Washington’s house is the brightest one on her block in North City.
“I’m serious, my house is PACKED every Sunday,” she says. When she opens her front door, the warm air greets you like a familiar hug.

To the Washingtons, family is everything. Despite all of their busy schedules, everyone makes sure to show up for their weekly family dinner. And if they don’t, they know they’ll be receiving a phone call from Mrs. Washington.

On this Sunday dinner, her grandkids’ little feet rush in from the cold one by one and run to greet their grandma and grandpa. Each child is met with hugs and kisses from their grandparents, and Mrs. Washington quickly serves them a hot plate of food.

In every way, Mrs. Washington is a matriarch. She pulls up photographs of her family on her computer and with each new picture, her eyes light up like she’s looking at the photographs for the very first time. In every picture there’s a new story she can’t wait to tell me. It’s clear that one of Mrs. Washington’s most defining characteristics is her love for her family.

In December, the Washingtons are like many families celebrating Christmas- they can’t wait to share their love for their grandchildren with gifts on Christmas morning. Because of their financial situation and large family, this is especially hard. That’s where our Affordable Christmas event provides a helping hand. “Affordable Christmas is such a blessing. Because of it, my grandkids can have gifts under their Christmas tree,” explains Mrs. Washington.

Mrs. Washington has been a participant in our Affordable Christmas program from the very beginning. The Washingtons can make ends meet, but it’s the extra things, like Christmas gifts that make the holidays especially stressful on their finances. Instead of having a bare tree on Christmas morning, Mrs. Washington comes to shop at our Affordable Christmas event each year. She’s able to shop for toys at drastically reduced prices in a dignifying way, so her grandkids can experience Christmas with gifts under the tree.

Affordable Christmas is made possible by YOU. Yes, you. Whether you donate gifts, donate money, volunteer or pray, Affordable Christmas is a community effort. This year, we hope to serve 1,200 kids- that’s more than 300 families! Will you help make Christmas brighter for more families like the Washingtons?

Here’s how you can help:

Maggie Becker