16,000 toys at approximately $10 each. $160,000 worth of toys. That's what we need in the next month in order to fully stock our 3 Christmas Gift Marts this year (2 in East Aurora, 1 in Joliet). If I think about it in that way, I start to panic a bit. That's a lot of money and a lot of toys . . . almost double what we collected last year. But, when we debated whether or not we could add a 3rd Mart this year, to nearly double the number of families we could reach, it felt like it was not an option not to. Every day I see kids and families here in East Aurora who are struggling to pay the gas/utility bill or to put gas in the car or keep their phones turned on. They aren't starving, but the stress of just day to day survival is exhausting. And there is no money for "extras." Or, there probably shouldn't be. But like all of us, when life gets to be too much, we resort to doing things that make us feel better . . . even if we "shouldn't" spend on the money on fast food or going to a movie or a new toy. Parents want to provide Christmas for their children. And they will often put themselves in serious financial jeaopardy to do that. The Gift Mart provides a way for parents to have the dignity of providing Christmas gifts for their children without sacrificing a month of heat or hot water or paying the rent. It is a very difficult time, but so many of us are lightyears better off than the families I see every week. So, it felt selfish and faithless to say that we couldn't help provide Christmas for an additional 800 families. Thanks to several other churches and businesses and schools, we do hope to stock our Gift Marts this year. But, then, I was reminded this week that even then, we will only be serving families from 4 of the 12 elementary schools in East Aurora---all of which have poverty rates over 70%. If you'd like to help provide toys or join us in serving at one of the Gift Marts, go to www.communitychristian.org/giftmart.
