The Giving Tree is helping disadvantaged and foster children to a joyful holiday
Staff Report
JERSEYVILLE – Christmas is just around the corner and there are many children in our community that are depending on our love, kindness and support.

JaCinda Jones will again be working with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to help supply disadvantaged and foster children with not only toys for Christmas, but also necessities such as coats, hats, gloves, clothes and even toiletries.

“This will be a program that will be done with a lot of assistance from my Sunday School Class and their families at the First United Methodist Church. We like to focus on helping people in need. Can you imagine the impact this has on these kids? Just the thought that a complete stranger would go and buy a special gift with their needs in mind is quite humbling,” Jones said.

“This is my third year coordinating this program. It has been an amazing and humbling experience and something tangible to demonstrate to my children the true meaning of Christmas,” Jones said. “The past two years, we have had children added to our list a couple days before Christmas. While we do not know the circumstances of why they were added, it is humbling to consider someone would take time out of their busy schedul to purchase gifts for a child they do not know. ”

Each year this program relies on more and more help from our community. If you participated in the past, thank you so much for your support.

With your help and the help of others, 2008 can be just as successful!

To adopt a child for Christmas, please call JaCinda Jones at 618-498-6897. You will be given the child’s gender, age, clothing and shoe size, a list of his/her favorite activities and toys and a list of their most needed items.

Many businesses and organizations adopt a child or a family’s entire wish list and other individuals choose to purchase a gift for a child. Whichever you choose, is a step towards making a child’s Christmas joyful!

Please submit unwrapped gifts to the First United Methodist Church Office at 1200 South Liberty in Jerseyville by December 10.

Following December 10, individual gifts will be separated, children’s checklists are reviewed, and additional elves are on stand-by to complete the wish lists. The gifts are then taken to DCFS where they are distributed to the children’s caseworkers and the caseworkers will deliver the gifts to the foster parents.