Holiday Stockings for Homeless Children Programs
We provide children, living in shelters or on the street, educational and basic needs in handmade stockings at Christmas time to provide encouragement and acknowledgment that they are not forgotten in this difficult time of their young lives.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
There are many ways to measure success; number of stockings filled, number of shelters and homeless youth we were able to provide educational and basic needs to, etc. but nothing says it as eloquently as a child.
One little 5 year old boy told his older teen sister “See, I told you Santa would find us. I know it’s him cuz he didn’t just bring presents! It takes the REAL SANTA to bring a stocking for Christmas! The moms and children were overjoyed and felt Christmas with stockings made it feel more “normal” and “Christmassy” An incredible addition to the tough holiday for moms. DAWN’s House, Kent
98% of donations go directly into the making and filling of the stockings given to homeless children with an average stocking estimated at just over $20.00; stockings for street youth are higher due to their increased needs.xxxFilling stockings is an art as we work hard to provide children of the same age groups like items so we are seeking monetary donations or assistance with the following items in large quantities:
- 200 baby thermometers
- 700 ear buds (street youth use them as ear plugs)
- 1400 hand/foot warmers (street youth)
- 700 8mg flash drives (for street youth to store home work)
- 700 Sudoku or Word Find books (street youth)
- 1000 card games for 4-8 year olds (Crazy 8's, Uno, etc)
- 1500 Ready to Read books - all levels(these are marked as Ready to Read with a soft cover)