This holiday season, Bellevue LifeSpring Circle Members are joining together to make the season bright for Bellevue children and families experiencing houselessness and currently residing at the Mary’s Place Family Center in Bellevue.
Together, all six membership circles — Clemmie Evans Circle, Enatai Circle, Fairweather Circle, Hunts Point Circle, Yarrow Point Circle, and One Circle — are ensuring 124 children and 106 parents and caregivers experience a bit of joy and magic this holiday season.
“It’s so inspiring to see the Bellevue LifeSpring Membership come together in such a big way to support the families living at Mary’s Place,” said Trish Carpenter, Bellevue LifeSpring Emeritus Council member and One Circle member. “Our members have been purchasing toys and gift cards so these families can have a holiday filled with love, laughter, and hope, knowing that the community cares. It is heartwarming to be part of a volunteer group with a can-do attitude.”
Each membership circle will provide special toys to children age 10 and under and gift cards from local merchants for kids 11 and older. Parents and caregivers will also receive gift cards from local merchants to help provide food and gift support for their families.
Gift cards help provide the power of choice. With gift cards, students and families can purchase food, clothing, and gifts that match their personal preferences and needs — including food that fits their nutritional preferences and dietary restrictions and clothing that fits their size, style, and personal preference.
Bellevue LifeSpring Holiday Elves, aka our circle members, are not only providing gift and food support. They are also taking the lead on organizing the program logistics to make this gifting experience as magical as possible for the children and families. These logistics include delivery, setting up holiday gift rooms, hosting wrapping parties, and more.
With all the celebration this time of year brings, it can be easy to overlook that, for some, the holidays can be challenging to navigate. The struggle to make ends meet can be felt even more. Our circle member’s holiday support is helping to bring just a bit of normalcy and joy back to the children, parents, and caregivers at Mary’s Place Bellevue.
Trish also shared, “I think it is critical that everyone in our community understands how important it is to give where you live. Our community is only as strong as the weakest among us, and we need our community to be strong. To do this, we must come together and support our neighbors who need us most with the necessities they need to lift themselves up to brighter futures.”
Thank you to our caring circle members for helping to make the holiday season a little bit brighter for the children and families at Mary’s Place Bellevue. Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter to read about the special moments created by our Holiday Elves.
Join our circle members and help provide additional holiday support for children in our community experiencing food and housing insecurity. Give today.
