This year, the students and staff at FHC raised over $27,400 for Family Promise of West Michigan. While to most students at FHC, this is just a number marking an intangible success for fundraising, to the families benefiting from the Christmas store, it’s an incredible achievement. After being partnered for 13 years, FHC is heavily relied upon by Family Promise to provide funds and volunteers for the store. Together, AP Environmental Science teacher Patricia Richardson and Biology/AP Biology teacher Kristy Butler help to organize the fundraising and volunteer effort for the store.
“The Christmas store is something that Family Promise has been doing for about 10 years or so,” Butler said. “They have families that have gone through their program, so they’re in a more stable housing situation, and the families can come in and buy Christmas gifts for their families, and then also get much-needed household items for them as well. [FHC volunteers] will buy a toy for 20 dollars, and then the families will come in and buy that for a dollar instead.”
Even if it might seem like no big deal, being able to buy their own Christmas presents is empowering to the families who come visit the store. They have been able to create a more stable environment for themselves and their family, and can begin to return to the more traditional aspects of the holiday season…