Holiday Generosity

Here at Faces, we hope you enjoyed the season of giving and spent time creating lasting memories with family and friends. We are so thankful to the following groups for the gifts they provided for our families in need this holiday season.

Karen Barrett and the Aiken College and Career High School Students - Each year Karen gives to those in need. She is the quintessential role-model as once her students find out what she is doing, they want to help out as well. This year the Aiken students brought in enough toys, games, clothing items and "fun stuff" to help over 50 children in need.

TheGathering - As a long time supporter, their donation of new coats this holiday season helped to provide that essential item to literally warm our clients hearts.

SallieMae, General Revenue Corporation - Their generosity literally filled my hatchback to max capacity! Their gift drive of coats, games, art supplies, gift cards, and books just kept coming! Our long time supporter and FwP board member, Mary Turner, organized our largest giving drive this season! Thank you Sallie Mae!

FwPBoard Members - As staff members of FwP, we often find it difficult, due to storage limitations and staffing challenges, to provide individualized wish list items for every member of a family in need. So when our board members, Tamara Vest, Mary Turner and others chose to sponsor individual families this year, we were very thankful for their generosity, organizational skills and enthusiasm. The families were elated and Santa was quite thankful as well.

Dawn & Dan Geoppinger - On my second stop of the morning, I wasn't quite prepared for the amount of gifts provided by Dawn and her husband, Dan. In lieu of doing a gift exchange, the Geoppinger's collected unwrapped toys and food items for our families.Wow, again my Mazda was overflowing with gifts! It was so successful that I thought I might get a ticket on my way to deliver the gifts. My heart was racing with nervousness and excitement as I pulled off the highway. As I drove up to deliver the gifts, the parents of the children in need stood there in disbelief. Luckily they recovered and asked if I needed some help!

Ascendum - Kristen Stang learned about our children in need through a friend whose sister, Theresa Locke, is one of our board members. A Facebook connection took place and several weeks later I was standing in the Ascendum Blue Ash lobby in front of a beautiful tree surrounded by gifts for our families!

Kroger of Harper's Point - I just knew this was going to be interesting. I started my holiday communications through email with Joe Schneider, aka, Blue Christmas! Joe began organizing a Kroger staff giving tree back in October. Though Joe and I had never met, I knew right away that the man with the huge smile and blue Santa hat was my guy. I was thankful to have so many grocery carts at the ready as the staff at Harper's Point were super generous. And I have to say, Joe is a keeper!

FidelityInvestments Holiday Heros & Tristate Mothers of Multiples- For the fifth year in a row, Fidelity Investments provided our students experiencing homelessness at John G Carlisle with a festive party. Tri-state Multiplies joined Fidelity to treat thirty-three children with crafts, games, food and individualized presents. Fidelity and Tri-state Multiples even provided gift cards for the children to put inside their cards as presents for their parents and a little extra holiday cheer.

Such kindness, generosity and caring touches the lives of many during a time of year that can be stressful and lonely for our families in need. What a difference it makes to receive a thoughtful gift, a much needed gift card or a super fun party from a person or group who just wants to make your life a little brighter. To all of those that gave to our families in need during the holidays and throughout the year, we appreciate your giving spirit and wish you a wonderful year ahead.

Shelley.