The holiday season for those in need will once again be made brighter, thanks to monumental efforts by Westerville Caring and Sharing (WC&S), an all-volunteer, charitable 501(c)3 organization with no paid staff, which reaches out to students/families in the Westerville City School District. If a Westerville pupil qualified for the free or reduced lunch program, WC&S can help them. One hundred percent of all donations benefit Westerville families.
WC&S served more than 725 Westerville students and their families during its 2017 Holiday Project. They are anticipating even more will apply for help during the 2018 Holiday Project, which serves Westerville children and their families and sometime a few senior citizens who may not otherwise receive any gifts. Each family also receives a food basket and donated personal hygiene and paper products. Only new merchandise is distributed at Christmas. The goal is to provide each child with items from their wish list and a gift card, when funds allow, to be used for clothing needs not sponsored. There are numerous opportunities to “adopt” a child, sponsor a food drive or give a monetary donation.
This year’s WC&S Holiday Food Drive will run from November 26 – December 6. Anyone can sponsor a food drive collection. Most needed items are canned meats/vegetables/fruits; cereal and crackers; spaghetti and sauce (no glass jars, please); juices (no glass); ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese; peanut butter and jelly; baking mixes and supplies; canned or boxed soups; boxed side dishes; canned lunches; paper products (especially toilet paper); personal hygiene items such as soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes; and laundry detergent. Volunteers will pick up food donations on December 6.
Those in need of assistance this year can contact WC&S by leaving a message at 614/470-4320; sending an e-mail toWestervilleCaringSharing@gmail.com; or visiting www.Facebook.com/WestervilleCaringSharing. The family application packets give-out dates for the Holiday Project are October 9, October 16, and October 23 from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., in the conference room of the Westerville Public Library, which is located at 126 S. State Street. These applications and wish lists must be returned to WC&S by November 16. Distribution day is Sunday, December 9, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Initial drop-off sites include the Westerville Community Center at 350 N. Cleveland Ave. and Edward Jones at 110 Polaris Parkway, Suite #230.
“Please remember those in need in our awesome Westerville community,” said WC&S President Barbara McCoy. “Each one of us can make a difference in some way!”