Sharing is Caring Christmas Store Helps Families in Dalton/Whitfield County

January 10, 2025 Print This Post

By Malisa Pedro
Dalton/Whitfield County Family Connection Coordinator

One of our Collaborative’s most significant annual projects is the Sharing is Caring Christmas Store, held every December at the North Georgia Fairgrounds. This year, the event took place on Dec. 21, welcoming over 280 families, which included more than 830 children from the Dalton/Whitfield community. Families received clothing for their children, a food gift card, toys for each child, and much more. This wonderful event was made possible thanks to the generosity of our community, who shared their time and resources.

Preparation for this initiative begins well before December, as local agencies volunteer to offer a range of classes aimed at building parental capacity and strengthening families. From September to November, parents can select up to three classes that align with their schedules and interests. In collaboration with our community partners, parents had access to 65 English class offerings and 54 Spanish class offerings. Topics covered included financial literacy, language skills, cooking, resilient parenting, educational subjects, and more.

At the start of November, parents who completed the classes register to shop during Application Week at the Salvation Army. They provide us with the ages and clothing sizes of all children in their households. Local businesses and individual donors contribute either toys or financial support, allowing partners and volunteers to shop for clothing and any necessary toys, ensuring that every child’s needs and desires are fulfilled.

Setting up and organizing the Christmas Store is a monumental task that relies heavily on the numerous volunteer groups who dedicated their time in the weeks leading up to the event. From setup to shopping, organizing, and tagging toys and clothing, the week is packed with essential tasks. We are deeply thankful for the hundreds of volunteers who contributed their efforts before and during the event. Witnessing the joy on families’ faces as they selected gifts for each of their children was truly the highlight of the season.

Read the story on dalton.gafcp.org.