Help give a kid a Christmas!

[lightningandsnow]

There's this charity called Hugs and Hope, which is similar to the "Make A Chile Smile" site I've been promoting around the site. Among other things, they run an "elf program" every Christmas, where you sign up to buy gifts for either a child with a life-threatening illness or a sibling of one, and then the gifts are mailed out in early December. You can either be a regular elf, which requires a commitment of spending at least $25, or a "stocking elf", which requires no minimum amount of money spent. They've had a really hard time getting volunteers this year and are thinking of cancelling the program! I know money is tight for a lot of people this year, but this really means a lot to these kids.

From the Hugs and Hope Yahoo group:

** URGENT REQUEST **

With the deadline for providing Christmas gifts just about one month
away, we are still short over 130 SPONSORING ELVES for Christmas this
year!!! We've never had so much difficulty recruiting volunteers;
but I can understand why we are this year. With the shakey economy,
everyone is tightening their belt right now. I'm considering
cancelling this program for 2008 if we can't enlist more helpers.
Maybe you could convince your employer to sponsor a family of
siblings. Or maybe your club or church group would sponsor a child
or two. Consider the possibilities then learn more about the
program, and find out how to sign up at www.hugsandhope.org/elf.htm

I would really encourage everyone who can to try and do this. I'm currently signed up as a "stocking elf" for a 16-year-old girl whose brother had a liver transplant, however, I'm going to ask my dad if me and him could jointly sponsor a kid as a regular elf, as well.

Thanks a bunch! Consider this a birthday/Christmas/Solstice/Hanukkah present to me. My birthday's on Christmas Eve. And, seriously, having people sign up as elves would be the best birthday present ever.

[lightningandsnow]

1. Kicking.

Yes, I realize I'm being somewhat annoying lately, kicking my own posts, but this is important.

[FedUpWithIt All]

2. We sometimes do a local "Secret Santa" charity.

These things really do make a difference. Most of the time the little ones are asking for necessities.

I also want to ask people to remember the food banks this year. It is going to be a VERY rough one for a lot of people.

[Kajsa]

3. Kicking for a great cause,

a lot of people will need help this year.

Even small contributions help,( which is all I can afford).

Thanks, AspieGrrl,

:hi:

[tismyself]

4. keep up the good work

:applause:

[lightningandsnow]

5. Aww, thank you.

I don't typically have a lot of money bouncing around to give to charities, so I do what I can. I especially like stuff like this because it's hands-on.

[tismyself]

6. No problem!

I'm in the same boat, more so now than ever. This year I'm working with an orphanage, I can't even talk about it without getting upset.