Diverse groups band together to bring comfort to kids
BROWNSVILLE – The Brownsville Soup Kitchen received more requests for Christmas gifts for needy children this year than ever before, but the community was even more generous. Theresa Gladden, who runs the soup kitchen, said she had requests from about 200 families needing presents for 400 children.
“I didn’t think we’d be able to get enough,” Gladden said.
The need was more than met, however, with employees at Brownsville General Hospital providing presents for 178 children, the River Valley Chapter of A.B.A.T.E. providing another 100 presents or so, and TJ Enterprises donating $10,000 in toys. Donations also came in from members of the Brownsville Area High School National Honor Society, the Brownsville McDonald’s, St. Mary’s Church in Brownsville, the Historic Church of St. Peter, St. Cecelia’s Church in Smock and the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation (B.A.R.C.).
“This is the most we’ve ever had. People went all out this year,” Gladden said. Every kid is getting two or three presents this year.”
Some of the presents include warm gloves, hats, scarves and socks gathered by the churches and at the Hiller Post Office. Others are board games, dolls and footballs selected by individuals who knew only the child’s age and gender.
“It’s so the kids in the community who wouldn’t have Christmas can have Christmas,” said Tom Clark of TJ Enterprises. “It’s become a holiday tradition for us.”
The presents donated by the Redstone Township store were wrapped by students in various classes and clubs in the Brownsville Area School District and by volunteers and staff members at the Flatiron Building Heritage Center, operated by B.A.R.C. The toys are being distributed at the Elks Club on Water Street in Brownsville.
“When I went into the Elks and saw the volunteers sorting all the toys…I was really taken aback,” said Lou Orslene, executive director of B.A.R.C.
Orslene said he hadn’t realized the monumental task that it is to coordinate the gift program, matching the toys donated anonymously to the specific names on the receiving list and grouping gifts for family members together.
The Soup Kitchen also has available about 50 food baskets prepared by the Brownsville General Hospital employees with everything needed for a Christmas dinner. The Soup Kitchen is also offering a free Christmas Eve meal open to anyone interested in sharing it from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the basement of the Brownsville Borough Building at the corner of Second and High streets.