Some early 'Christmas Cheer'
Oct. 18—Though it's still mid-October, it's never too early to start getting ready for the season of giving, and the Sampson County Department of Social Services' annual Christmas Cheer Program is a way to start getting into the spirit. The program aims to ensure that the foster children and adults in the custody of the DSS each have a special holiday.
According to local DSS officials, there are 113 children in foster care, and the DSS serves as the guardian for approximately 52 adults. The support of community partners, whether those be businesses or individuals, makes the program possible each year.
"We're gearing up for Christmas, and I tell you, Sampson County is a community that has really been committed to our families and to our agency," said Carlina Simmons, program manager for Foster Care and Adoptions with the Sampson County DSS.
With the support and donations, the department has been able to purchase things like clothing, undergarments, and hygiene products for adult wards. The community support also allows for the purchase of gifts for children in foster care.
For the adults and children in their care, they also throw a Christmas party as part of the program, a merry event with food, games, and entertainment to be enjoyed.
Rhonda Matthews, program manager for Adult and Family Services with the Sampson County DSS, pointed out, "We have to see a lot of heavy things throughout the year. This is the one time of the year when our social workers are working overtime. They're staying late to put together this party, but everybody is enjoying it, seeing big smiles on the children's faces."
The party doubles as an opportunity for foster parents to collect items that have been purchased for the children, allowing the foster parents to bring the gifts home undetected and save them to put under the tree for the kids to open on Christmas morning.
The adult wards of the DSS also get to enjoy Christmas morning as they receive the items that have been purchased for them. "It means a lot to the social workers, and I think probably even just as much as the children and the adults as well," Matthews said.
The department has several options for supporting the program.
One option for supporting the Christmas Cheer program is to "adopt" one or more children or adult(s) under the care of DSS. Individuals who choose to "adopt" a foster child or a ward will receive a wish list, along with very general information like the age and gender of the individual — never any confidential provisions, though.
Those taking the adoption route can then go out and buy the items for Christmas and deliver them to the agency. To "adopt" an individual or multiple individuals, be sure to contact the agency before Nov. 30.
Another option for supporting the program is through a tax-deductible donation that can be used to purchase gifts and/or items for the Christmas party. All donations received will be utilized to host the Christmas Party.
The DSS says that, in addition to contacting them before Nov. 30 to "adopt" a child, they prefer to receive purchased gifts by Dec. 8 and monetary donations by Dec. 12. Checks should be made payable to: Sampson County Department of Social Services — Christmas Cheer.
Checks can either be hand-delivered to the agency at 360 County Complex Road, Bldg. E, Suite 100 Clinton, NC 28328, or mailed to: Sampson County Department of Social Services, Christmas Cheer, P.O. Box 1105, Clinton, NC 28329.
If interested in "adopting" an individual under the care of the Sampson County DSS, making a monetary donation, or purchasing items for the project, please contact Matthews or Simmons at 910-592-7131. They are also available to be contacted with any questions or for any additional information.
"I've worked other places before," Simmons said, "And I'd say I've just never seen the kind of outpouring that we receive from our Sampson County community partners. We're just grateful for how everybody shows up and shows out every year, and we're just looking forward to doing it again."
