Holiday Programs

Do you struggle with day-to-day expenses for your family, and find the holiday season a time especially difficult to provide meals and a gift or two for your children? SECOM offers several holiday programs which could help make your holiday season a little brighter.

The Holiday Giving Network

Would you like to receive a special gift at Christmas? Supported by many area churches, companies, and individuals, ACCESS (All County Churches Emergency Support Services) helps SECOM to provide food baskets for low income (below 150% poverty level) individuals. If you feel that you are qualified for this program, watch for sign up information in this site or as posted in our facility lobby. Sign ups usually begin mid October and continue into November.

Please contact us if you would like to donate or help assemble a basket.

 

Share-a-Christmas

For over 20 years, Grace Episcopal Church has impacted local families through its Share-a-Christmas program. SECOM works with Grace Episcopal to help identify families who are desperately in need of assistance. The holiday season puts additional stress on struggling families often due to higher utility bills and trying to provide Christmas gifts for their children. For each family, the Share-a-Christmas program provides food, clothing, a blanket, personal care products, and a gift for each family member.

Please contact us if you would like to be a part of this program.

Pride for Parents

Earn gifts for Christmas this year by giving your gift of time and your talents. Give back to your community and be proud that you provided your child with gifts through your own work.

SECOM's Pride for Parents program allows parents in the SECA (Sout East Community Association), South East Grand, and Garfield Park neighborhoods to earn $50.00 worth of gifts for each child unter 14 by volunteering 10 hours per child at SECOM throughout the year. Parents create a "Wish List" for the gifts their child would most enjoy.

Volunteer work is assigned in areas such as the food pantry, warehouse, child care, reception, and special events. While volunteering, parents learn job skills in the areas of childcare, clerical work, janitorial tasks. retail/grocery stock handling, and customer service. They also gain experience working in a team environment, being responsible to a work schedule, and taking pride in their work.

Pride for Parents is supported by churches, individuals and other businesses. Our goal is to provide 80 children with Christmas gifts, but we would like to provide more! Contact us if you would like to sponsor a child for Christmas or donate new gifts or wrapping supplies, or host and assist at our wrapping party in early December.

Contact us if you would like to volunteer at SECOM earning gifts through the Pride for Parents program.

Pride for Parents
Time of Year	Days	Times	Fee	Childcare Available	Spanish Speaking Available	Join Us
All year Ongoing	M-F	Volunteer hours: M-F 9:00 am-12:00pm, 1:00pm-5:00pm and special events	Free	No	Yes	All parents in the SECA, South East Grand, and Garfield Park neighborhoods (*service area) *With low income

*Service area: four square miles bordered by Hall Street to the north, US-131 to the west, 28th Street to the south, and Patterson Avenue to the east.