The holiday season is a time for celebration and laughter, spending time with the ones we care for the most. It is also the time of year that support from the local community come out, both financially and emotionally.
The Center of Hope Foundation, Inc., a non-profit agency serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, helped people in the community and received support during this holiday season.
To begin the season, the Center of Hope ran their annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. Program members, staff, families, Table Talk Pies, Big Bunny, Big Y and Wendy’s all came together and donated copious amounts of food. With this program members put together 100 baskets filled with all the Thanksgiving dinner fixings and distributed them to families with financial need.
Sturbridge Day Habilitation, the newest day program at the Center of Hope, received a $300 donation from the Young at Heart Red Hatters. Every year this group donates to a local organization to help during the holiday season. This year their donation was given to the Sturbridge Day Hab to be used for a Christmas party. Members, Rachel Lavelle, whose son John is a program member, and Elizabeth Brackett visited the program dressed with holiday cheer to drop off the donation.
The Center’s other day programs have spent time raising money in various ways. The Center of Hope Day Hab, with assistance from other programs, conducted a Grease Musical themed talent show. Tickets, food and beverages were sold and enjoyed while watching music and dancing to the classic; Grease Lighting, Beauty School Drop Out and You’re the One That I Want. Raffle baskets were also sold to raise money.
This holiday season, every program at the Center of Hope was able to have a wonderful Christmas party with food, music, gifts and fun. Program members and staff were dressed to impress with their funny costumes and sweaters. Even Santa made an appearance walking around handing out candy canes. With Christmas music playing around the entire agency, Christmas cheer was spread putting smiles on everyone’s faces.
The Center of Hope was also able to put a smile of hundreds of faces during the annual Holiday Giving Tree Program. After a year of fundraising and with the help of many others the Center gives Christmas gifts to local families with financial need. Marie Smoker, Director of Fundraising says, “It is rewarding to see smiling faces and how grateful parents are, knowing that the Center of Hope is making a difference in helping put smiles on children’s faces.”
The Center of Hope would like to thank everyone who has supported us this year in helping being able to spread holiday cheer. It is great to know that so many people support us in our mission to support individuals with disabilities. With this support we are able to extend our support from day supports to family support and advocacy in the community, so again, we thank you all.
