For many years, One SAFE Place has assembled a "Holiday Store" during December for clients in shelter and families in need. This temporary storefront is fully supplied by community donations and meant to preserve the dignity of giving a gift for a parent or caregiver to their child.
Items are "purchased" not with cash, but instead by using a point system. Items in the store are assigned points based on value - two points for a book, three points for a toy. Each parent was allocated 25 points, and an additional 25 points was added for every child they have. Staff overseeing the process this year noted that many parents and caregivers did not use points to select items for themselves, but instead for their children, despite the availability of many items available for adults.
Joanie, one of the staff members who helped assemble and manage the store, expressed how moved she and her coworkers were by the whole experience. “I was so blown away by the community’s generosity! There were DAILY donations of toys, books, and clothing pouring in. As a team, we were able to create a beautiful space that felt like a toy store with shelves that overflowed. Seeing the reaction of the clients was so special. Every person who entered the store thought it was beautiful. Some got emotional. One client walked up to staff members and said, ‘Thank you! You saved Christmas!’"
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"One client that stood out was a young woman with several children. She was shy and quiet throughout her shopping. I helped pick age-appropriate gifts and items her children had asked for. When we went to her car she broke down crying. She said, ‘For you, giving is a great feeling. For me, receiving is embarrassing, but at the same time I’m so thankful. I asked if I could hug her. As I hugged her, I explained that ‘many of us who work with One Safe Place and the Children’s Legacy Center, helping women and children, do so because we once needed help in our lives. Never feel embarrassed for accepting love and help from others. We pay it forward.’"
"She smiled and said she wanted to volunteer at One Safe Place and give back. I have no doubt she will. For me, that interaction was the best gift.”
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, over 50 families and more than 200 individuals were served at our Holiday Store in 2023!
