Christmas Angels helping additional families this year

With the highest need since the local Christmas Angels program began six years ago, several local families stepped forward to help out needy families.
"We have 34 families signed up this year," said Christmas Angels coordinator Amber Rodas, who started the program in 2015. "A total of 91 children will be receiving gifts. We have 32 families who stepped forward to provide for these children and multiple community donors who have provided monetary donations."
The program continues to grow each year. In 2018, 60 children and 20 families were helped. Last year, the Christmas Angels program benefitted 75 children and 30 families in and around Minneota through donations and volunteers.
The Christmas Angels program received many donated toys, gifts, food and money for the holidays. The money will be used to purchase gifts for the children.
Each child provided a "wish list" and their sponsor shops for those gifts. Each of the children will receive several gifts and the family will receive food for their holiday feast.
Donations come from area individuals, businesses and churches. The Christmas Angels received a $500 donation from the State Bank of Taunton, $500 from a donor from the Thrivent Action Team, $50 from an anonymous donor, while another anonymous donor donated canned goods.
The Hope Lutheran Endowment Committee donated $5,000 towards a Christmas meal and $500 towards gifts for needy families.
The National Honor Society students will partner with the Minneota Area Mission Trip kids to package and distribute 150 boxes of food for its Christmas Meal Giveaway at Hope Lutheran Church courtesy of the Hope Endowment Fund. "This will be a box containing a ham, potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls and fruit," said Terri Myhre, the mission trip coordinator. "Because the boxes will be going to families who have children home for Christmas vacation, we are also including fruit snacks, juice, mac and cheese and crackers.”
"There are many kids involved in both activities (NHS and Mission Trip groups), so this is a great chance to work together and do something for those in our own community. We are extremely grateful to the endowment fund for giving us this opportunity and for their gracious donation." The Minneota Area Mission Trip has recently begun planning for its trip in June of 2021.
"We saw this as an excellent opportunity to serve locally, so we will be picking up the food, packing the boxes and distributing the bags from 5-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10 in the Hope Lutheran parking lot," Myhre said.
All the food will come from Brad's Market, enabling the food distribution to stay local and help small businesses during this pandemic period.
"Because we didn't set up a toy box, all gifts will be wrapped by the families who donate," said Rodas. "The gifts haven't come in yet. They will start to be delivered this week. All gifts are due at the school by Dec. 7 from the families who adopted, with the handout happening on Dec. 10." The gifts will be handed out at the Community Center.
"You can see that COVID has taken its toll on families as our need has grown," said Rodas. "As always, the community continues to show support. We've kept things smaller volunteer-wise this year due to COVID and are trying to limit contact with the gifts and food.”
"The City of Minneota has allowed us the use of the Community Center the week of Dec. 7 to allow the gifts and items time to 'breathe' before we send them home with the families."