THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 6, 1996 TAG: 9610040204
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARK YOUNG, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 82 lines
Think back to your favorite holiday memory.
The whole happy family is gathered around the table. Before you is arranged a magnificent collection of delectable treats. Roast turkey scents the air. Slices of jellied cranberries beckon while thick rich gravy is ladled out over fluffy mounds of steaming mashed potatoes.
Now stop. Think instead of another table, strangely quiet. A small group is gathered for a cold supper, there is nothing joyous in the air.
That's a scene that some families won't be facing this year because of the work of people like Social Services' Joyce Harrison and hundreds of organizations and individuals who share their blessings through the city's annual Holiday Project.
This is Harrison's ninth year as coordinator of the the city-sponsored program that draws from donations and volunteerism to provide food, clothing, toys and services to the needy during the holidays.
This year the project will be housed in a newly painted office in Celebration Station. Recently members of the crew of the Navy ship Whirlwind completely refurbished the former storage area in preparation for the project volunteers' arrival.
Twenty-five volunteers helped last year doing office work, picking up donations and delivering baskets. Last year the program provided 915 families with Thanksgiving baskets and 1,010 families received Christmas baskets and gifts. The Christmas wish lists of 326 foster children were filled.
When Harrison opened the doors at her new office the applicants began to come in. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day volunteers take their information, filling out the required forms and finding out what their needs are for the holidays. Applicants are carefully screened for need and cross-referenced with lists from other agencies. ``We try to make sure services aren't duplicated. We want to help as many needy people as possible,'' she said.
Each applicant signs a release allowing project volunteers to share their information with sponsors interested in helping them. ``That's one of the good things about what we do. You don't have anyone who is going to be upset, who doesn't want to be helped,'' Harrison said.
Donors to the program are a diverse group. ``We get churches, synagogues, businesses and individuals who want to help every year,'' she said. Sometimes a teacher will help a class organize a food drive. They collect canned goods that can be used to assemble the baskets and collect money to add fresh ingredients. Entire schools and recreation centers also participate this way.
``The workers in an office will bring in unwrapped toys instead of exchanging gifts. ``It's so much better than buying someone a Pollyanna gift that will sit on a shelf somewhere unused,'' said Harrison.
Project participants can choose how involved they want to be. ``If a donor wants to sponsor a family they can tell me who they want - gifts for two kids, a basket for an elderly couple, whatever,'' said Harrison. ``Naturally we're always looking for new sponsors. How involved they become depends on the individual. Sometimes people want to go out and actually meet the family and find out what their needs are. Some people will keep in contact with the families long after the holidays. It's very meaningful to these people to know someone actually cares about them.''
In addition to names of needy families and individuals Harrison has the ``wish lists'' of more than 300 foster children, identified only by first name and age and sex, that sponsors may help.
Harrison and her volunteers coordinate efforts with other programs including Toys for Tots, the Joy Fund, United Way and Salvation Army. For those who don't want to sponsor a family, the project accepts donations of money, canned goods, unwrapped new toys and gifts and volunteer time and service. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by STEVE EARLEY
Volunteer Christine Sutton fills out paperwork for families who wish
to receive Thanksgiving/Christmas donations. Twenty-five volunteers
helped last year doing office work, picking up donations and
delivering baskets.
Graphic
HOW TO HELP
Checks made out to Holiday Project may be mailed to Holiday
Project, Department of Social Services, 3432 Virginia Beach Blvd.,
Virginia Beach, Va. 23452. For information, call Joyce Harrison and
her volunteers at 431-5374 or 431-5375.
KEYWORDS: HOLIDAY PROJECT CHRISTMAS
by CNB