Excerpts From Letters

Dear Kristi's Christmas Organizers,

I would like to thank you for your generosity. I made the call to your organization one day before the school holiday began. i was desperate and worried with this late notice that you would be unable to help me. I gave it a try and to my surprise, you came through and went beyond my expectations. You delivered the gifts for the family to my school the very next morning. I was expecting one gift per child. I was pleasantly surprised to find two bags full of special treats and gifts. The children involved, who expect absolutely nothing this year because of money problems, will be delighted. The mother asked me to tell you how appreciative she is. You have made their Christmas a happy one.


Kristi's Christmas,

Thank you is not enough to express our sincere appreciation for your support for the holiday this year.Some of our families will have a reason to celebrate the holiday because of your wonderful gifts of new clothes, shoes, toys, and other basic essentials. This year ---------- Elementary was fortunate enough to participate in the holiday shopping day at KMart after a hearty breakfast. The day was well organized with a tremendous show of support from West Springfield High School, West Springfield Rotary Club, and The Brown Family. The high school students were very patient and caring with the children! It was obvious that everyone wanted to be there to support Kristi's Christmas efforts. Our children who attended the event glowed for days with excitement. The children's mother was overwhelmed when they returned home and she cried with joy. Kristi's Christmas gave her children a Christmas that she was unable to provide this year. So I pass on the tears of joy, hugs, kisses, and compliments to your organization from all the families that you helped this holiday. Kristi's Christmas made a difference in our families and we thank you for your continuing love, support, and caring throughout the year.
We wish you good health and happiness in the New Year!

Again, I want to thank you for helping one of our students. He was so grateful and so happy to get a new pair of shoes that your funding provided.

This child's father has been incarcerated for several years. His mother works a night shift, and according to him, sleeps at all other times. It is evident that he does not receive much positive attention from any adults. He had a very caring teacher this year that brought him to my attention.

Most of the sole on one of his shoes had come apart. Some students complained about the noise he made when he walked. He tried to fix his shoe by putting a large rubber band around the shoe to hold it together. This stopped the flapping sound, but not the teasing from some children. Then there were the stories that his mom was going to get him new shoes tomorrow. Tomorrow never happened.

You made his "Tomorrow" happen by providing him money to buy him a new pair of shoes. I only wish you could have seen his face when I gave him the shoes. This was a very happy ten-year-old boy. Thank you.

Dear Gracious Friends,

I wish to express out warm thanks for gifts to our needy students form your organization. I was astounded at all of your generosity in these many and fine gifts. Our children were so wide eyed and pleased. I wish you could have seen them when I let them choose from the gifts and told them they were from people who cared about them very much. There are many warm and better clothed children too. One day, I took a bag of mittens and hats out to the two buses that come from the subsidized housing apartments and told them while still on the bus, to see me as they stepped off if they had no gloves or mittens at school or home. It's really easy to know if they really need them. You would think I was handing out chocolates. They were happy.

I also wish to thank you so much for the new school supplies for our many needy children who beg and borrow and do without, or who the teachers supply in emergency. I hold a collection in our school each Spring at the end of the year in which children who do not need their supplies for the next year, donate them to our emergency supply center. That was empty by mid Fall. Thank you so very much. You should see how pleased they are and relaxed, not to have to figure out how to get the supplies they need.

Again, thank you for each of these children. The children who received gifts are bussed to us from a housing project and do not have the Christmas, Kwanza, or Hanukkah that our neighborhood children have, but once again you have helped them to know the goodness of our world.

Thank you so very much for donating the white t-shirts for our FECEP (Head Start) classroom. Our children will be wearing them when they go on field trips to identify their school they attend. We will enjoy decorating them. Thanks again for your generosity.

Dear Kristi's Christmas:

On behalf of the Fairfax County Department of Family Services, I would like to thank you for your generous donation of haircut gift certificates. The children and teens who come into Foster Care will be so delighted and encouraged to receive a fresh haircut. They have often had few caring adults to handle their daily needs and may have experienced neglect. That makes your gifts all the more precious.

Thank you for once again meeting the real needs of hurting children and being part of giving then a new start. Kristi's Christmas is always there to quietly, efficiently, and effectively serve.

Sincerely,
Chloe Padgitt
Volunteer Services Manager