Ending our year with more "feel good" stuff!
Newsletter 12/31/21
It has been more than the 12 days of Christmas” for South SLO County Womenade and our Elves!
WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH JOY TO MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY!
After a super busy first two weeks of December that we told you about in our previous newsletter, South SLO County Womenader Elves kept the Santa sleigh working overtime!
CHRISTMAS FOOD BASKETS
From feeling dismayed to feeling joyous!
During the Great Thanksgiving Food Basket giveaway, we discovered 2 Early Head Start programs in Nipomo that we did not know existed plus a number of families in need of food for the holidays. Before Christmas the Womenader Elves got to work. With the amazing generosity of the SLO Foodbank we were able to gather 62 turkeys for the families we missed at Thanksgiving.
Our trustworthy Elves, Mary Anne Morgan and Ann McDowell drove “sleighs” to the Foodbank and divided and conquered. One sleigh went to our fabulous elf, Jennie Curto, to distribute to families in Nipomo, then onto our elf, Erica Andrade, to distribute to families at our three south county middle school families in need, and finally to our packing site at Mariam Shah’s for the 32 households at the 2 head start programs. Elves Mary Anne Morgan, Candace and Phil Guldeman and Rosemary Cleaves drove the ”sleighs” and delivered 64 bags of groceries and a turkey for every household in need. It was awesome! While dropping off at one of the sites, a family came to drop off a child at the center, and they picked up their surprise turkey and food bags. They were so surprised and very grateful to have their Christmas dinner and a week’s food waiting for them! Many thanks to all involved who made this happen!
AND THAT’S NOT ALL!
On December 20th we received a wonderful notification from the SLO Foodbank that they had received $50 gift cards from the SAFEWAY Grocery Stores (parent company of Albertsons and Vons). They had 81 gift cards (value $4,050) for us to give to those in need in our community. Once again our elves jumped into delivery mode and with not a worry, made lists of families who needed food for the holidays and got them delivered just before the holidays! Much gratitude to SAFEWAY and to the SLO Foodbank!
Here are a few stories from one of our advocates from clients receiving these wonderful surprise SAFEWAY gift cards.
One of our clients is a single mother who owns a small business. I met her today at her storefront to give her a Vons gift card to use for a New Year celebration. She was grateful and expressed that she was having difficulty with food costs due to her work van breaking down. She will have to pay an estimated $2,500 to fix her van.
A family lives doubled up, and both parents are temporarily unemployed. I met with the family's mother, and she expressed that they did not celebrate the holidays due to financial stress. With the help of the gift donation from a local gym, we could donate gifts to the children. Also, we were able to provide a Vons Gift Card courtesy of South County Womenade so the family can have a lovely New Years' eve meal.
A family has received an eviction notice and is saving most of their funds to help pay for their rental deposit. I met with this family at one of my school sites, and they let me know that they did not celebrate the holidays due to the stress of finding a new place. So, with the help of South County Womenade, we gave them a Vons Gift Card, and the family said they would use it to fund a New Year's Eve dinner.
A family of five is living on one parent's income. Their mother is disabled and dependent on her children to assist with chores around the home. They're currently struggling financially, and it's putting a lot of stress on the children. The children have not been able to celebrate the holidays and were grateful that our Family Advocate provided them a Vons Gift Card to use for New Year's eve dinner.
On behalf of the board of South SLO County Womenade (Ann, Caity, Jill, Sue and Rosemary), we wish you a very happy holiday season and the best for the coming year!
WHILE YOU’RE SHOPPING PLEASE CONSIDER SUPPORTING US ON AMAZON!
As you continue shopping, please consider using smile.amazon.com and sponsor us: San Luis Obispo County Womenade. Thank you
HOW TO DONATE:
To make a donation write a check to South SLO County Womenade and mail to: South SLO County Womenade, 1793 Farroll Rd., Grover Beach, CA 93433
or go to our website sslocw.org
or use paypal.me/sslocwomenade
As you consider your year-end donations, please remember that if your company has a matching grants program to please include us. Also if you donate through the United Way at work, you can allocate your donation to San Luis Obispo County Womenade Our EIN# is: 27-0809744. You can also become one of our fabulous monthly donors through your bank or your charitable trust.
Our email is: sslocwomenade@gmail.com
Our website is: sslocw.org
Phone number: (805) 270-5751