Dallas organization putting on a Christmas drive in July

Christmas doesn’t come in July, but this year, the Dallas High Shoals Christian Ministry’s Christmas drive is happening on Saturday, July 29.

Leah Hedgpath began volunteering with the ministry 22 years ago and has been working as the executive director for the last six.

According to Hedgpath, the number of clients has climbed back up to highs the ministry experienced during the pandemic.

“COVID numbers were coming down. We had gotten to 150 families every time we opened,” Hedgpath said.

However in the last year, Hedgpath has seen those numbers increase to between 250 to 270 clients coming in every time they open.

“Sometimes we see as many as 300 people a day that are in need of our services.”

Dallas High Shoals Christian Ministry is a community service center offering free food, hygiene products and some extra community events.

Through their partnership with United Way of Gaston County, the organization even offers assistance finding programs to cover situations and needs that they don’t cover.

Due to the increase in demand for their standard services over the last year, Hedgpath is anticipating an increase in the need for their Christmas program in December.

The organization caps out at 600 children every year, according to Hedgpath, and recently, they have gotten very close to that limit.

“Last year we served 586 children,” Hedgpath said.

Hedgpath believes the organization gets closer to its limit in part because they serve children up to 18 years old, and special needs clients of any age.

“If you’re in school, you have needs,” Hedgpath said.

The ministry strives to get donors to sponsor each child who signs up, so that every kid gets, “one want, one need, and one read,” Hedgpath said.

However, close to 200 children don’t get sponsored each year, and that’s where these donations come in.

The organization is holding a donation drive from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday to ask for donations of new toys, clothes, shoes or underwear.

They will also be accepting cash or check donations as well as non-perishable food donations all month.

Donations to this drive will allow the ministry to cover the children who don’t get sponsored this Christmas.

While toys are appreciated, the organization asks donors who can only donate one thing and focus on necessities.

“We want to improve living situations,” Hedgpath said, explaining why necessities are prioritized.

Applications for the ministry’s Christmas program open on their website Oct. 1, at dallaschristianministry.org.

Residents of Dallas, High Shoals, Alexis and Stanley are eligible to apply.

The food pantry is located at 305 E. Trade St. in Dallas, and is open Monday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m. - noon.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Dallas organization putting on a Christmas drive in July