MFS Christmas Shop brightens the holidays for many
Setting up the grocery distribution tables on Dec. 20, helpers prepared to put groceries in the bags. Groceries were placed on tables in categories prior to placing them in bags numbered for individual clients. Workers included MFS Board Members, volunteers, Boy Scouts, and Cub Scouts. Photo courtesy of Lon Nordeen
The Manchester Family Service Christmas Shop was held on December 21 and it was another resounding success for this annual Manchester tradition in which many local volunteers participate.
It all begins in the middle of October, when Manchester Family Service (MFS) clients are given forms to complete asking if they wish to participate in the Christmas Shop and, if so, additional forms to complete regarding gifts they would like to receive. “We call them ‘their wish lists,'” said MFS Board member Mary Sue Moore.
By the middle of November, all donors were found for the Christmas Adopt-a-Family or Senior/Singles program. There were a total of 41 clients (or a total of 115 men, women and children) who participated.
“It it a huge effort by Board members, John Sahakian and Marlene Uphaus, to coordinate this program as they have done in the past,” Moore added. “They contacted some donors or donors contacted them. By the day of the Christmas shop, all Adopt-a-Family gifts that had been gathered in were distributed to grateful clients. The generosity of all the donors was apparent.”
At the shop, each client (families as well as senior and singles) received a ham, a gift card to Meijer, and a two to three bags of groceries. Most of the groceries were donated either by the Klager students who brought them for the school-wide Food Drive, coordinated by Kathy O’Mara and/or Cub Scout Pack 421’s “Scouting for Food” drive, coordinated by Angie Flint. After volunteers loaded clients’ groceries into their cars, the clients returned to “shop” for gift items.
Gift items were whatever were donated by community members and could include such items as coats, boots, sweaters, hats, and gloves as well as toys and household items such as sheets, towels, blankets, dishes, kitchen items, and Christmas decorations.
“Volunteers, in addition to the Manchester Family Service Board, really helped on our set-up day as well as at the shop,” Moore continued. “We have a nine-member board, but at times, we have that many again as volunteers. We are most thankful for our volunteers–particularly, Cub Scout Pack 421 and Boy Scout Troop 426, who were busy on the set-up day helping to pack the grocery bags, which involved many trips around the rows of bags with grocery items. We took advantage of their youthful energy!
In addition, MFS is grateful for the monetary donations given by many. And it’s never too late! Monetary donations are always accepted. You may send your donations to Manchester Family Service – Attention: John Sahakian, Treasurer, at P.O. Box 471, Manchester, MI 48158. Donations are used all year long for, in addition to the Christmas Shop, our monthly Food Gatherers Day expenses as well as emergency
assistance for rent and utilities.
Truly, the Christmas Shop is a community effort. THANK YOU, MANCHESTER!
Cub Scouts and other volunteers distributing groceries to MFS clients’ bags during preparation for the shop on Dec. 20. Photo courtesy of Lon Nordeen.
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