It’s the time of giving this holiday season! Sinclair has set up their annual giving tree to help those in need this Christmas.
Many children in Dayton live in low-income situations, are in foster care, or are even homeless. Caretakers of these children often lack the resources to provide them with Christmas gifts. Multiple organizations in the Dayton area accept donations to help these youth. Some donation items are essential, such as winter coats, gloves, hats and scarves.
Sinclair has its own Christmas drive called the Aramark Tree. This is a Christmas tree located in the Sinclair cafeteria. The tree has yellow tags with information about the child whom the gift is for. To donate, one would take a yellow tag, fulfill the gift request and bring the unwrapped item back to place under the tree. Items can be used if in good condition.
CHOICES is a foster care agency that runs an Annual Christmas Drive for Youth. They divide their requests into three categories – general gifts up to $25, gifts for younger youth and gifts for independent living. Independent living is a unique program which services former foster kids who are ages 17 to 21.
For Love of Children holds an annual drive called Christmas for Kids. Last year they were able to provide gifts to over 2,200 children in need. FLOC provides educational and financial assistance and advocacy to children as young as newborn and up to age 18. FLOC focuses on foster kids, neglected and abused children and children simply in need of assistance.
Toys for Tots is a Marine Corps Reserve program which helps bring donated toys to “less fortunate” children across the nation. Their objectives are to bring Christmas joy to children, help children develop as good citizens, to bring communities together and therein strengthen communities. Toys for Tots has multiple donation drop-off centers, whose locations can be found at their website.
The Good Neighbor House is an organization in Dayton which seeks to provide medical, dental, nutritional and educational services to the underprivileged in our area. They have created Operation Christmas Wish. This is a gift drive accepting gift cards or new, unwrapped gifts for children ages 1 to 12.
According to averages from Dayton’s City Data website, in the category of “Very Poor Residents,” children aged under five years live 18.8 percent below the poverty level and children aged five years live 16.8percent below poverty level. Children aged six to 11 average 16.0 percent. Children aged 12 to 14 average 13.9 percent below poverty level. Children aged 15 average 10.1 percent, while children aged 16 to 17 average 12.5 percent.
Christmas gift donations go towards children and families living in such situations.
Maggie Stacey
Reporter