It’s the middle of summer, the first week of July. It’s a time when most people are celebrating America’s birthday, ice cream, water parks and carefree fun in the summer sun.
But, at Good Samaritan Ministries it’s Christmas time–sort of.
“We’re holding a month-long drive to raise money for the Christmas boxes we give away in December,” said Misty Bowers, Public Relations Director for GSM. “We know the holidays can be stressful and there are many worthy organizations all vying for your attention during the last months of the year so we wanted to give individuals and businesses a chance to give when things may not be stretched quite so thin.”
All money raised during the month-long drive will go directly into a Christmas fund and only used for the purpose of purchasing food for the Christmas boxes given in the month of December and filled with most of the ingredients needed to make a traditional Christmas dinner.
Donation jars are available at American State Bank, Early branch; Citizens National Bank; General Power and Light; Good Samaritan Ministries; Mid Tex Federal Credit Union; Texas Bank, all five locations; and Trans Texas Tire.
As an added bonus for making a donation at the Good Samaritan Ministry office at 305 Clark Street, all donors’ names will be entered into a drawing each week for a Christmas-themed basket.
“We have four color-themed Christmas ornament baskets and will give away one a week on Fridays during July,” Bowers said. “The first to be given away Friday, July 8 has a black and silver-theme with gorgeous large silver glass ball ornaments, medium sized silver and black studded ornaments, black glass balls and intricate silver glitter ornaments.”
Pictures of each week’s basket can be found online at www.goodsambwd.org.
Bowers added that anyone making a donation at the GSM office can enter their name into the drawing a second time by taking a tour while on location.
“We’re always looking for ways to get people to come in and see exactly what we do,” Bowers said. “People are usually surprised when they see the full scope and heart of Good Samaritan Ministries.”
Bowers said the idea for a Christmas in July drive came simply by seeing the increasing need of the people coming to the food pantry portion of the ministry for help. So far this year, the ministry has seen a 17 percent increase in the amount of people who are coming to the food pantry for grocery staples. Last December 1,262 families came to GSM during December. At the 17 percent increase, that would be an extra 215 families and at $35 a box that would be a total of $51,695 for Christmas boxes in addition to regular grocery staples.
“Typically December is our busiest month with everyone feeling the strain of the holidays. We hope this Christmas in July drive can make it easier on everyone – those who are giving now and those who will be receiving later.”
Any business that would still like to be a part in the drive by having a donation jar in their place of business may do so by calling Misty Bowers at 325-203-2489 or emailing office@goodsambwd.org. Those who would like to make a donation may do so by visiting any of the aforementioned donation locations, mail to P.O. Box 1136, Brownwood, TX 76804 or make a donation online via PayPal at www.goodsambwd.org.
