This year, Trinity West’s Outreach Hub will be hosting a Holiday Christmas Store. The store will provide gifts for those in need.
In the past Trinity has hosted an angel tree program. Volunteers would shop for specific kids in need and pick out gifts that would go directly to those families.
Last year, Trinity hosted one day of the Christmas store along with the angel tree program.
Mary Liz Ingram, who is in charge of the Christmas store said, “Our motto is neighbors helping neighbors.” She adds, “We know a lot of the families and are in close relationship with them already.”
The Angel Tree program is no longer a thing this year. The Christmas Store will be in full swing for 3 days straight.
Volunteers have been coming in for the past week to unbox and set up all of the inventory. People have brought in cookies and treats for shoppers to enjoy.
“We will play music and make it feel festive and fun,” Ingram said.
Santa will also come to the Christmas store to meet kids that come with their parents.
The store will provide gifts for around 300 people whereas the Angel Tree Program provided gifts for 250 people.
The event is taking place in the fellowship hall, the space where ESL classes take place every Monday.
Volunteers are to bring in gifts. Each gift in the store ranges from $20 to $30.
There is also an Amazon wishlist. This makes it easy for people to shop online and deliver the gifts directly to the Outreach Hub.
The store will be open Dec. 6-8 to those who have made appointments. Right now, there are about 105 appointments said Ingram.
The store is open from 10:30 am/2 pm all three days.
Ingram says they are hoping for up to 2,000 gifts in stock before the store opens.
Each child should receive around six gifts. Parents of children will come shop in the store and pick out gifts specifically for their children.
Edna Vázquez works at the Outreach Hub and Christmas Store and shares her favorite part. “My favorite thing is knowing how happy the children will be and how much the volunteers care.”
The hub opened over a year ago. Relationships between volunteers, those who work at the hub and those who come often are very close.
“Our priority is being welcoming to anyone, any background, culture, language,” Ingram said.