With temperatures soaring, the Good Samaritan Ministries ended its second annual Christmas in July drive bringing in just more than $7,000.

The drive was designed to raise money for the Christmas boxes GSM gives out throughout the month of December.

“This year’s drive was an incredible success,” said Angelia Bostick, Executive Director, Good Samaritan Ministries. “With just the money that came in July, we’ll be able to purchase food for about 285 Christmas boxes.”

The Christmas boxes are given out in December in addition to regular grocery staples and include most of the ingredients needed to prepare a traditional Christmas dinner.

“December is always our busiest month and it helps us so much to be able to stretch the cost of that holiday food out over several months,” Bostick said. “And, we hope that it helps our donors, who we know are stretched thin during the holidays as well, to be able to give to a project when the holidays don’t have a strangle hold on their wallets.”

While GSM has not seen as dramatic of an increase in families coming through the front doors as last year, on average, we are still at an all-time high.

“The need is certainly still great but we know that the generosity and kindness of our Brown County community is greater,” Bostick said. “We so appreciate everyone who made a donation during our Christmas in July fundraising drive, and, by doing so, will provide boxes of Christmas food to our friends and neighbors whose holiday table might otherwise be scarce.”

And even though the Christmas in July drive is officially over, donations may still be made for Christmas boxes. Only $25 will provide one box for one family. All donations should be designated as “Christmas” and will go directly to purchasing food for the Christmas boxes. Donations may be mailed to P.O. Box 1136, Brownwood, TX 76804, or made online via PayPal at goodsambwd.org. You may also bring a donation in to 305 Clark Street. Credit cards are now accepted in-house.