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Thanksgiving and Christmas
Hamilton County Families Receive Holiday Assistance
Fishers, IN - The GOOD SAMARITAN NETWORK (GSN) of Hamilton County, Inc., (a local nonprofit 501c3 organization) is pleased to announce our annual Holiday Assistance program for Hamilton County. The assistance program provides food, clothing, and toys for needy residents of Hamilton County. It also allows for sign-up of elderly and/or physically challenged or shut-ins who may need a holiday meal for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. Last year Good Samaritan Network served 25,934 Hamilton County families who would not have had holiday assistance any other way.
Good Samaritan Network carefully aligns applicants with private sponsors. Partnering with GSN as a sponsor is a unique relationship focused on specific families or individuals in need of holiday assistance during Thanksgiving and Christmas. In preparing applicants for sponsorship a sensitive team reviews sponsorship requests and assigns needed families to appropriate sponsors (individuals, families, churches, businesses and or organizations). Every Hamilton County household who applies and is approved for Holiday assistance is assigned a private sponsor or is sponsored directly by Good Samaritan Network.
The sponsor’s primary role is to provide Holiday items for their requested/assigned family(s), recognizing their sponsorship will be the only help that most families receive. Suggested gift donations are recommended and should be reasonable and practical, but include: 3 clothing items per child, 3 toys per child and food basket/or gift card for the entire family to use as holiday food. (Adult/Parent gifts are completely optional.) A GSN Holiday Assistance Donations List is available online ( www.gsnlive.org ).
Private sponsors are asked to deliver their Holiday Assistance by the same event date(s) as Good Samaritan Network’s and arrange delivery specifically with each household(s).
Nancy Chance says, “We believe that when sponsoring a family, the sponsoring individuals and families are directly engaged in the full experience and have the unique ability to see personal care extended to people in need throughout Hamilton County.” Private sponsorships are still available. A sponsorship request can be made online (www.gsnlive.org) – click on the “iSponsor Online Application” button.
Hamilton County families who have not applied can still apply for assistance. English and Spanish application forms are available in hard copy (via online download or can be mailed) and are digital sign up online (www.gsnlive.org). The digital online sign-up deadline is December 6. Applications in English and Spanish can be printed online from our website, and once completed mailed or faxed to GSN.
In order to be considered for either of the actual “distribution” Holiday events, a yearly application is required. No exceptions! If an application is not being completed online, it can be returned by mail, fax (317-842-4766); or dropped off at our office ASAP: Good Samaritan Network, 12933 Parkside Drive, Fishers, IN 46038.
Hamilton County families can also enjoy a FREE Thanksgiving Day Meal at several locations throughout Hamilton County!
An overview of our Holiday Assistance program:
Thanksgiving Events
Nov. 23, Thanksgiving Assistance Distribution - Thanksgiving food boxes and baskets are made available at the distribution site from 9am-3pm. Location: Hamilton County 4H Fairgrounds. An application is required.
Nov. 28, Thanksgiving Day FREE Meal - A Thanksgiving meal (sit-down or carry-out) is provided onsite for walk-ins from 11am-2pm. The primary staging location is: White River Christian Church, Noblesville, IN. Additional locations within the county include: Sheridan Community Center, Adams/Sheridan Rooms, 300 East 6th Street, Sheridan IN 46069, from 11am-2pm; and in Fishers at St.Louis de Montfort, 1441 Hague Road Fishers, In 46038 from 11am-2pm.
Nov. 28, Thanksgiving Day Delivered Meals – For clients who have signed up for a delivery of a Thanksgiving Meal, volunteers deliver to assigned Hamilton County households early in the day. Residents must be home to receive the delivery. Sign-up required.
Christmas Events
Dec. 14, Christmas Assistance Distribution – Client choice of food boxes, toys, and clothing are made available at the distribution site from 9am-3pm for families directly sponsored by GSN. Location: Hamilton County 4H Fairgrounds. An advance application is required.
Privately sponsored families will be contacted directly for their own delivery date.
Dec. 24, Christmas Delivered Meals - For clients who have signed up for delivery of a Christmas Meal, volunteers deliver to assigned Hamilton County households early in the day. Residents must be home to receive the delivery. Advance sign-up is required.
Individuals and businesses are critical in responding with donations of both cash and in-kind donations. Consistent donations of non-perishable food, as well as new and gently used toys and clothing, are critical. Additionally, several businesses donate leftover or overstocked items like books, toys, games, personal hygiene products, etc., that can be readily repurposed for client choice during the Holiday Assistance program. Donations like these afford GSN the ability to leverage their available budget dollars for client-related needs, including specific non-donated food purchases – especially meat.
Holiday Volunteers Needed!
Annually, especially during Thanksgiving and Christmas, there are hundreds and hundreds of volunteer tasks that adults, youth and children can fulfill. Both Holiday Assistance events still need volunteers.
Chance says, “There are countless numbers of volunteers from churches, neighborhoods, businesses, and corporations that make the annual Holiday Assistance program possible by donating critical man-hours! But, more importantly, they begin to see how they are touching the lives of Hamilton County families.”
Volunteers utilize “iVolunteer Self-Scheduling” online as sign-up (visit GSN website: www.gsnlive.org), to select their volunteer task, date, and time when they want to volunteer. Simply click on the “iVolunteer” page and “Holiday iVolunteer”.
If you have any questions regarding the work of Good Samaritan Network please feel free to contact the office at any time. Please contact: Nancy Chance, Founder/Executive Director, Good Samaritan Network, 317.842.2603, nchance@gsnlive.org; or visit our website (www.gsnlive.org) for more details.
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