Christmastime is a common time for charitable acts all over the world, but locally, one organization will hold its annual Christmas Charity event in Noblesville on Dec. 9.
First brought to Hamilton County in 2014, Secret Families of Hamilton County has served 62 families – more than 300 individuals – giving them a “complete Christmas.”
In 2016, 240 volunteers helped Secret Families provide Christmas to families from 15 elementary schools in Hamilton County.
Families are selected based on recommendations from elementary school principals and guidance counselors in the local school districts. Each attempt is made to serve all the families whose names Secret Families receives. In 2016, Secret Families served 40 families. The organization says each year, as many families as funding allows are served.
Secret Families provides a complete Christmas for each family, including wrapped presents for each member of the household, a live decorated Christmas tree, a $50 Meijer gift card to purchase food for the holiday and a bible. Approximately $550 is spent per family. Gifts purchased are based on family interviews, discussing specific needs, sizes, etc. Families also receive a food box containing approximately 50 pounds of non-perishable food and an in-kind bag full of household and personal care items.
This year’s giving event will fill the day on Dec. 9 with shopping, tree delivery, gift-wrapping, present delivery and more.
Tom Flanagan, a representative for Secret Families of Hamilton County, said the long-term goal of the organization is for no child in Hamilton County to be told that there will not be any holiday celebration in his or her home this year.
For more, contact Flanagan at [email protected], or call 317-363-8431.
Donations also may be made at secretfamilieshc.org, and volunteers can register to work there as well.
