Unusual Question

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Katie and family are now in the dayton shelter. As it stands at the moment, they will be coming here xmas eve and (if the shelter won't boot them out of their spot) spending the night so the grands can have all the Santa deal.

Now I have no doubt in my mind at all that their parents won't be able to buy them presents. I was going to call Toys for Tots this week.......then the dayton shelter said they would take them.

While I'm sure they could get Toys for Tots there.........well, they'd be here on xmas..... So I'm not sure how that would work. Now I don't know whether to let it drop as the shelter there would probably have katie contact them.....or what.

Awful. But I've always donated to Toys for Tots. I've not used it before so I'm not sure how it works.:tongue: I know it's to help kids like the grands have an xmas........but I don't know if they bring it before xmas and just give it to them, or if they give it to the parents to be santa gifts or what.

I got lucky as far as stocking stuffers. Our walmart had lots of nice things for a dollar and under like pencils, card games erasers ect that were really cute. I don't do much candy in stockings as I'm used to having difficult children and they're usually wired to the hilt without the sugar high on top of it. lol

So........anyone have any ideas?
 

1905

Well-Known Member
I think you should contact the kids school social worker or guidance counselor. They would know local org's who donate gifts and can arrange drop off etc..

Also...contact the school the kids just left as well, and talk to them, let them know the kids will be here for Christmas. I'll bet they know some more resources. At our school, any child in need, and their families are taken care of for Christmas. Not just gifts, but food as well. Calling Toys for Tots is a good idea.
 

crazymama30

Active Member
contact the salvation army, they will give you some presents for the kids and also may supply the makings for a holiday meal. I would have Katie apply, ie take her there and make her do it, so you get the food for the dinner and the grands get the presents. Since they qualify for food stamps they would definately qualify for the holiday meal and gifts. I think they do a thanksgiving meal box too.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
If I were you I would attempt to get signed up in both places. At this point, I dont think they will get much because of the economy so if you can get help from both places, you would have a chance at more than just one gift a piece. I know that sounds bad but it is what it is. If you can come up any money...family dollar has some really cute things for like 5 bucks a piece. Im going to have to end up there since I have really blown my budget big time. Can you imagine a doll that sits down, gets up and walks, says over 60 phrases and tells "mommy" that she wants to be tickled? Yeah...60 bucks on sale! I am such a sucker...lol.

Family dollar has their own version of the hamster pets for 5 bucks in a ball. What ever those things were called. We didnt get those last year because I could just imagine my dogs eating them.

I am hitting toysrus for one last thing. Melissa and Doug make these amazing three D puzzles out of wood. They arent cheap but they are so awesome. I got some from Freecycle about two years ago and lost them somehow. They have a fruit set I am getting for Hailie. You cut them with a wooden knife like you are slicing the fruit and then put it back together with the velco. Also has a sandwich in it...cool beans. They have an adorable three tiered cake that you decorate and then can slice that I am getting for Keyana. Of course it is Pink and white. You can decorate it in different ways. But it is also a puzzle. That teaches.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Sugar free candy is a great alternative and the Dollar tree has a nice selection of it.

I think each year our Mom would keep us busy with a Sears wish book. Starting on Christmas break she would get us each a catalog and a pen /paper and tell us to write EVERYTHING we wanted - then when that list was complete? Knock it down to the top 100, when that list was complete, the top 50, then 25, then 10 then, 5 and eventually hearts desire - then letter to Santa Claus. Not only did it keep us out of her hair? It let her know which gifts were the top ones....I mean it let SANTA know which gifts were the most desired in a childs heart. IF.......IF at ALL possible to fit in a sleigh and under the tree depending on IF the child had been well behaved all year.

As far as ideas for your grands? I was thinking clothes. Sorry - but seriously. They are going to be moving a lot, and things get stolen in shelters A LOT. If you get a lot of toys? Things get taken and that leads to more heart ache. They will need clothes. Clothes also get taken but not as much as a new toy. I'm not trying to break your heart hound....I've been there - believe me. With Dude......almost every Christmas.

Maybe the best thing would be to buy a swing set for your yard, or a toy for your house that ALL the Grands could benefit from that STAYS at Grammy and Grampys. Then when they come to visit? It's special. Not anything that could be pawned or sold or traded. I'm all for that one special toy, and then a few smaller things, but mostly clothes, some shoes - things that in a few months? Other kids in school won't be able to tell they are shelter kids by. (this is what was important to Dude)

Just a thought. If you can't decide? Then tell them that you will have an extra christmas day when they get their house and have Christmas in July. and keep that promise - and just have a small informal Christmas and tell them to bring their favorite toy from TFT....to your house. Have a nice meal, open a few gifts, have their stocking and start a NEW tradition of going somewhere local but fun instead.
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Salvation Army does the Angel Tree thing. We've had visits from them before, after you get the kids signed up, they have certain day(s) they dress someone up as Santa and go to where the kids live to do a "special delivery" of the gifts. They'll contact the parents/caregivers for the best time of day to do it usually, but sometimes the kids do get signed up by someone outside the family or grandparents, extended family, etc.
 
M

ML

Guest
You've gotten good ideas. Your grands are in my prayers, especially now. Love, ML
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Star... I remember the Sears Wish Book with fondest memories. I used to pour over it myself and then when my kids were little I did it with them too. Now, there isnt one except for the ToysRUs big book and its a flimsy flier really. I got Keyana the ToysRus one the other day and she has played with it this weekend and of course, she wants this and this and this and this...and this is for Hailie and this is for her brother Cameron and Jacob, and this is for Mikey....over and over again until almost everything has been circled...lmao. Then she goes back over it again. Well maybe both Hailie and I can get that...or this...lol.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
The Salvation Army does toys for kids. I took a lady from Wiz school to it years ago. A big room with all kinds of toys laid out and people to wrap it after it was selected. It was income based and the toys were very nice. Here in our town we do it differently. Our Christmas Store is set up with all kinds of presents for everyone in the family. Parents work at the store helping kids to pick things out and wrap them, and they earn the right to pick gifts for their family by the work they do. parents feel a lot better about getting the toys because they work to earn them instead of just being given them. It really helps restore pride to people. They have a section with gifts for adults and the kids are allowed to go their for gifts for their parents and siblings.

Not all the items are new. many people buy things at garage sales, clean them up to look new, and then donate them. One year my mom bought about 30 little kid dresses at garage sales and then spent 3 weeks adding pockets, ironing, lining areas that would be scratchy on the skin (courtesy of having a daughter who was very sensitive to those itchy things and would cut them out), and then donated them. They were incredible looking - you would not ever know they were not brand new from a really expensive store. It was really cute.

If Evan can be registered in Head Start, they do a Holiday gift also.
 

JJJ

Active Member
While we don't live near you, maybe there is a church in your area that does something similar, we have a Giving Tree and people can register if they are in need this Christmas. Often, for a child they end up with 2-3 toys and 1-2 outfits and the family gets all the fixings for a Turkey or Ham dinner (their choice). The local grocery chain donates coupons for free turkey/ham and parishioners donate the rest. I think our area is able to make that work because we have pockets of wealth inter-mixed with pockets of poverty.
 

1905

Well-Known Member
Google Operation Christmas Child. A local lady collected 2,500 shoe boxes full of gifts for families, they are distributed nationwide. I checked out the website and it looks like the organization is nationwide, so lots of people are making and sending these packages. See if you can sign them up with that.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Yes, I just saw Operation Christmas Child advertised here. They are starting to ask for volunteers and donations. Also here you can sign up for Christmas help through Social Services and you get a voucher for X amount of money per child to be used at one specific store. I think it is either Kmart or Walmart. There is also an operation shop with an officer but I have no idea how to get on that list. I think just so many people get recommended by other people for these things and some agency just assigns families to places. I know back in the very bad, very lean years we got help a few times ourselves. It was always greatly appreciated.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Great ideas guys and thanks. :D

I'd do clothes......................except that easy child, Nichole, and I took care of the clothing issue both before and after their arrival. No one will guess they're shelter kids............unless shelter kids wear the top name brand clothing. lol Gotta love those yard sales, thift stores, and the outrageous sales at the outlet mall. I don't buy the name brands because I give a darn what others think.........I buy them because I got tired of cheaper clothing falling apart so quickly In the long run it saves money. We did this figuring Katie would show up near the holidays............and we don't give clothes for xmas unless you're a teen, sort of a family thing. lol And these kids don't have a single toy to their name. Not one........unless you count the sponge bob pillow that Evan sleeps with.

BUT no toys will be returning to the shelter with them once they're opened. They aren't allowed there. Most likely due to theft ect. They'll stay here. None of us like it, but there is nothing that can be done about it either. And at least their toys won't be stolen or pawned by their parents. We're also taking into consideration toy size.........Because with their parents history they have much better chance of keeping a toy (not much but some) if it is small and portable than if it is big and bulky. This is creating problems for gifts for Evan.......I'm already going to be forced to buy below his age level due to his developmental age being about Brandon's age (around 2 yrs)......and I thought I found the perfect solution......but of course since it's pretty indestructible and lots of fun.....it's also big and bulky. ughhhh!

Odd..........I just got a mail from freecycle where a group is asking for donations of used bikes and riding toys for gifts for kids. The group cleans them up and fixes and repairs them. I'm eyeing Travis' bike that he bought at college.......ridden once because he remembered the hard way he can't see well enough to ride even a bike. lol I'd tried to sell it in the yard sale but husband kept insisting he would start riding it for exercise and to lose weight.......yeah right, like all the other bikes I've sold over the years. lmao I'm going to talk to him about giving the group the bike to make some kid happy........instead of it just sitting in my family room gathering dust.

Thought about calling them for the grands too. But I don't think they even know how to ride bikes, they've never had one. Plus.......I never let my kids have bikes ect at xmas. They got them for their bdays which were in the summer. lol And Kayla and Alex's bdays are both in june........Evan's is in Jan.

Will try the Operation Child..............Salvation Army is no where near us, but she could get it for the kids up in dayton.

Hardest part of this is the whole family is hanging in a sort of limbo. We've not much doubt CPS will be called into the situation again.........but when is the biggest IF factor. If it's before xmas.........the kids can have an xmas like none before it.......and you bet we'd make it one they'd never forget. Not talking presents per se but the entire holiday and all the family traditions that go along with it. If not.......well you see what we're up against there. ugh

At the moment easy child and I've planned to take the kids for a weekend. 1. She promised Alex he would get to spend the night with Darrin. (we, unlike their parents, never promise a child anything we don't deliver on....I have major issues with that due to my own childhood) 2. We want to share some of the family traditions with them without their parents involved (especially M) who tend to rile them up and cause trouble making it unpleasant for eveyone. 3. We want and need to see how their behavior is when their parents aren't around. We plan to use the excuse that they'll be doing stuff for their parents xmas and their parents need to stay behind and look for work. lol Also plan to bring them here on xmas eve so they can have the santa deal. But this is going to depend on shelter policy. Although I don't see how they'd have an issue with family giving children a break from the shelter environment especially during this holiday season.

I think I'll just call the toys for tots organization and ask them what they think would be best to do. I doubt katie's kids are the only ones who've been forced to go to a shelter away from family due to over crowding and the bad economy. Maybe they can figure the best way to go about it.
 
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