Christmas seems to come earlier and earlier every year with advertising beginning often before the Halloween candy is put away.
And, while, October might be stretching it for some, Good Samaritan Ministries is taking it a couple of steps farther and having Christmas in July! Now GSM’s Christmas in July is not an exploitation of the holiday season, but rather a special time where we raise funds for the Christmas boxes we distribute in December.
“We know the holidays can be hectic and there are often a lot of personal and professional pressures that vie for your time and attention during November and December,” said Heather Thomas, Interim Executive Director of Good Samaritan Ministries. “We are just simply trying to give people the opportunity to give in the middle of summer when things may not be stretched quite so thin.”
Every family who comes to the GSM food pantry during the month of December receives a special Christmas box in addition to their regular grocery staples. The box is filled with most of the ingredients needed to make a traditional Christmas dinner. There will still be the Community Wide Food Drive in October to collect specific food items for the boxes. However, there are certain items that Thomas said they cannot ask people to collect like roasting hens, eggs, flour and sugar.
“Last year we distributed almost 1,200 Christmas boxes,” said Thomas. “This year’s numbers will likely be very similar but with rising grocery costs, we are certain to see an increase in expenses as well.”
All donations made for the Christmas in July drive will be put into a special account used only to buy food for the Christmas boxes.
“Our goal for this year is $15,000 during this month-long fund drive,” said Thomas. “It costs approximately $35 for one box of Christmas food so anything we can raise now will move us that much closer to the goal when it comes time to order food in October.”
To make a donation, mail a check to P.O. Box 1136, Brownwood, TX 76804 or make a payment online at goodsambwd.org. Donations may also be delivered to 305 Clark Street during regular business hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or Monday and Wednesday from 1 to 5 p.m. Please call 643-2273 or 325-203-2489 for more information.