What’s Special about Christmas Sharing? “Everything!”
Ask Kim Williams what’s special about Moorelands Christmas Sharing and she’ll tell you “everything!”
Kim, a mother of two, was first introduced to Moorelands Christmas Sharing program in 2011. “My sister was the first one to tell me about it, and boy, it was a big turnaround for our family. For us, Christmas wasn’t about joy and peace, it was about how can I make ends meet? How can I stretch the grocery budget to get us through January?
“Being remembered at Christmas and having that connection and support means the world to our family.” The sense of belonging to a larger community has been a vital lifeline. “Moorelands’ adopting families work so hard to make thoughtful choices for my children. For my daughter Felicia it was important to have a place to share her thoughts and dreams for the future. Somehow our ‘adopting family’ knew that. They went to The Book Place and found a beautiful diary. It was the perfect gift for my girl.” Felicia’s been told she’s a natural leader, and works on her leadership skills at Moorelands Camp. One day she hopes to be a camp counsellor.
“My son Germaine, a little bit shy, loves soccer. He was at camp this summer for his second year. He was so proud when his cabin leader, Seadog, awarded him the ‘Best Soccer Player of Moorelands Camp’ button. He’s asked Santa for a soccer ball this Christmas.”
“When I go to pick up the Moorelands Christmas Sharing gifts, I bring my own mother. I feel like a little girl all over again, jumping up and down with excitement because someone out there took the time to make my children feel included. To see how much care another family puts into helping my family have a special and memorable Christmas…words can’t express how much these positive experiences mean to us.”
Kim says, “Words don’t always come easy to myself or my son, but I’ve taught him that you work for the things that are important to you. I practise the words I want to say to the family that reached out to make our Christmas so special, then I send them in a thank you card. I treasure the knowledge that as me and my kids continue to work at our future, my kids are learning important lessons about the joy of sharing, and about building community.”
To take part in our Christmas Sharing program and adopt-a-family, click here.