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'Angels' Help Spread Holiday Cheer

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By SHERRI LONON

IN THE LOOP

Published: November 19, 2008

No one needs to tell Jacquie Petet the economy is bad. She sees it on the faces of her clients who walk through the doors of Christian Social Services of Lutz & Land O' Lakes looking for help with food, clothing and other necessities.

"We've had a 50 percent increase (in clients) over the last three of four months," said Petet, who is the nonprofit organization's executive director. An overflowing desktop filing cabinet holds the names of all the individuals that have been served over the last two years.

As the holidays approach, Petet's organization is turning to the community to help keep food, clothing, household items and present donations coming in. For Thanksgiving, the group is asking for $30 donations to cover the cost of baskets that include a turkey, sweet potato pie and all the fixings. Christmas baskets, which include ham, pie and trimmings can be sponsored for $25 a family. To keep expenses down and enable itself to help more families, Christian Social Services is relying on the SHARE food program's holiday packages, Petet said.

While keeping the pantry stocked and food on the tables of the less fortunate is the main concern for Petet, she said Christmas brings with it a host of other challenges. Christian Social Services also sponsors a toy drive for the children it serves. The youngsters range in age from newborn up to 18. So far, Petet said 350 children are signed up for holiday help. The list - like the filing cabinet cards - is starting to overflow.

"It's going to be a lot more than last year," she said, eyeing a table with hundreds of "angel tags" on it. The tags, in pink and blue - each bear the name of a child and his or her age. Supporters of the organization can stop by and pick up a tag to buy presents for their own angels. The tags will also be given out to members of the 12 local churches that support the nonprofit group.

The hope, Petet said, is to obtain at least one new, unwrapped present for each of the angels on the group's Christmas list. More presents for each child, of course, would be better.

"It's not so much what they get," she said. "It's that they have something. We don't want anyone to think that they cannot benefit a child."

Petet explained that for many of the children helped by the toy drive, the new presents they receive are often the only new items they receive all year.

This is an issue that was not lost on Michelle Lee of Lutz. She recently stopped in at Christian Social Services to look around its thrift shop and ended up taking home an angel tag for a 7-year-old girl. Lee has four boys at home and thought it would be fun to buy for a little girl.

"There are a lot of kids out there who get neglected," Lee said. "I want to help."

Donations to cover the costs of the Thanksgiving baskets are still being accepted. The cutoff to sign up for Thanksgiving assistance has passed. An estimated 275 families have requested assistance this year.

Christmas dinner signups will continue through Dec. 8. Donations to cover the costs of dinners for Christmas are still needed.

Present donations will be accepted through Dec. 15. Petet said residents can stop by and pick up a tag or just drop off new, unwrapped toys and presents to Christian Social Services' 5514 Land O' Lakes Blvd. location during normal business hours. The facility is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for thrift shop sales and donations. The food pantry is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Christian Social Services helps residents, based on financial need, in the Land O' Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Odessa and Lutz areas.

Sherri Lonon can be reached at (813) 948-4287 or slonon@mediageneral.com.

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