Letters to The Editor: Lifeline Shoebox Ministry
Lifeline Shoebox Ministry
Organization thanks community for helping with 1,000 deliveries
To the Editor:
Lifeline Shoebox Ministry is a nonprofit organization that provides personal need items to nursing home and assisted living residents at Christmas time. After collecting donations and products all year long, it was time for the deliveries to begin.
On Dec. 20, there were a host of volunteers of all ages, sizes and ethnicities from the community. The Girl Scouts along with the Sigma Beta Club were among the many volunteers. You could see the unity for a cause in action as they unloaded the U-Haul truck that was donated to present the much-needed gifts to the residents of these facilities.
Each gift contained between 12 to 15 full-sized personal need items for each resident accompanied with a smiling face that was also a “BOX OF LOVE.” The many volunteers, both young and old, were emotionally moved by the impact of giving a gift to someone who they did not know yet knew it was appreciated. A few of the volunteers have been annual participants in the cause since Lifeline started the first delivery in 2008.
Lifeline Shoebox delivered a record number of boxes this year. Volunteers delivered 1,000 shoeboxes to 1,000 residents in 10 facilities (eight nursing homes and two assisted living facilities).
The facilities that were served were Grace Health Care, Oak Forest Nursing Home, Brian Center Health Care, Springwood Nursing Home, Brookridge Retirement Community, The Oaks, Kindred Transitional Care (Silas Creek Manor), Trinity Care (Lutheran Home), Forsyth Village and Somerset Court at University Place.
I am coordinator and project manager. Over the past few years deliveries have hovered around 550 residents each year. It is truly a milestone, that we have gone to four digits. I hope to reach even more residents in 2016 because of the need being so great.
The organization is looking for donated space to centralize the operation. Currently the organization is using three separate sites to house the product, supplies and donations. Because the organization collects donations all year long, the organization will need to locate a place that can house its growth. I am very grateful to all of the community for their support of this endeavor each year. We could not function without the support of the community and their compassion for those who have a need.
A special thanks to silent financial partner and friend, Derrick Holland, who has provided his vehicle and home to support the mission of Lifeline Shoebox. To each and every one and the countless volunteers and supporters of this cause, Thank you.
Lifeline Shoebox will begin planning for 2016 deliveries Jan. 15, 2016. I am requesting that if there is anyone who has available space or is able to help to locate a donated space or would like to participate with Lifeline Shoebox, please email me at info@lifelineshoebox.com or call 336-546-7015.
Wanda Reid
Coordinator and Project Manager
