Yes Virginia, the season is upon us...

Twelve thirty five.  I was savoring my leftover enchiladas.  My phone rang.  Not a number I was familiar with, but I answered it.

It was a mom wanting to get her three children on the list to get toys from the "Toys for Tot's" program.  Someone told her she had to go through DHS to get them on the list.  Our office is the closest DHS office to where she lives.

I am the point person for Toys for Tot's in our branch.  I basically pester the caseworkers by email to find out who will be responsible for getting the toys delivered to the kids after the toys are delivered to the branch.

Our office is a Child Welfare branch.  The toys we get are for foster kids or for kids in families with whom we have involvement.  This lady did not fit that criteria, but she did have a foodstamp case.  We can't help her at our branch, but I didn't tell her that.  I took her information.

I emailed the lady's information to the person who is coordinating Toys for Tots for the district.  We're not sure this family meets the criteria that has been set up for the program, but we are finding a way to make it work.

The desperation in the lady's voice kinda got to me.  Her kids, foster kids, all kids in need.  I know that Christmas is about way more than gifts under the tree.  To kids, though, Christmas is about gifts under the tree.  Gifts under the tree shows that somebody cares for them.

It does take a village to raise our kids.  Kids in need are all of our kids.

This holiday season, amid the hectic pace, amid the joy and celebration, amid the hopes, dreams and possible disappointments, find a way, ever be it so humble, to reach out to the village and help make a miracle happen.  

;)