Gaston Gazette extends date for Salvation Amy’s Empty Stocking fund
The Gaston Gazette’s Empty Stocking Fund is one of the Salvation Army’s major fundraising events along with their Red Kettle Campaign.
This year, Gazette readers have raised $66,866 of the $100,000 goal. While this is wonderful community support, they are still a bit shy of the goal needed so we have decided to extend your opportunity to donate to their cause through Feb. 1.
Donations to the Empty Stocking Fund help families and individuals in our area all year long. During Christmas many children receive gifts from the Angel Tree that would otherwise wake Christmas morning to a true empty stocking.
Food boxes for families and seniors in need are also distributed during the holidays which is another accolade of The Gaston Gazette’s Empty Stocking Fund. Donations are also used by the Salvation Army to support its many community programs.
Many people know the Salvation Army as a shelter where the homeless can find food and a warm place to sleep. In fact, the Salvation Army of Gaston and Lincoln counties offers more to the community, much more. With its One-Stop-Shop opportunity, individuals can meet with someone who can assist with their unique needs and help find the best outcome for their situation.
This could be as basic as helping supply food to assisting with housing needs. This program is offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Center of Hope, 107 S. Broad St., Gastonia. This program offers help with food, Medicaid applications, behavioral health, mail, housing assistance and Medicaid.
The Boys and Girls Club of Lowell offers affordable after-school and summer programs for children and teens in our area. This program offers a safe and caring environment that empowers them to excel in school and become good community members.
All of these services are part of the Salvation Army along with serving meals, offering bathing and laundry facilities, clothes and food pantries, providing temporary transition housing for men, women and families for a 30-to-90-day period of time and a cold weather shelter for one-night stays when the temperature is below freezing.
There are many phrases that represent the Salvation Army and what they provide to our community:
Soup, Soap and Salvation.
A man may be down, but he's never out.
Every land is my Fatherland.
The Army of the helping hand.
Where there's a need, there's the Salvation Army.
Doing the most good.
Take advantage of this extended opportunity by The Gaston Gazette and donate to the Empty Stock Fund, you have until Feb. 1. Your donations with help the Salvation Army do what they do best by “Doing the most good” in our community.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston Gazette extends date for Salvation Amy’s Empty Stocking fund
