NAM depends on community support to help give our neighbors in need the gift of joy during the Holiday Season and NAM is again calling for donations and volunteers. Beginning Nov. 1, 2008, individuals and groups can contact NAM's Holiday Volunteer Hotline at 281-885-4555, ext. 3914. The Holiday Coordinators will begin filling positions and time slots for a variety of holiday-related projects starting Nov. 3.
 "Our goal is to provide a turkey and food for three to five days to 800 families this Thanksgiving and another 1,000 families during the December holiday season," said Carole Little, NAM President and CEO. "We also plan to provide age appropriate holiday gifts to 3,500 children in need."
"Many of our neighbors are struggling to survive and the expense of a traditional holiday meal and gifts for their children are beyond their means," Little said. "Participating in holiday traditions is important to a family's well being and to developing hope for the future."
Volunteers assist with distributing food, sorting and filling toy bags, stocking Food Pantry shelves and filling grocery bags. During NAM's Thanksgiving and December holiday food distributions, children age 12 - 15 years may volunteer in food carryout positions (only) in the NAM Food Pantry without an adult in attendance. In order to sign up for a food carryout position, potential volunteers must first contact the NAM Holiday Coordinator AFTER Nov. 1, 2008.
Only children 16 or older may volunteer in the Toy room. In order to sign up to work in the Toy Room, they must first contact the NAM Holiday Coordinator AFTER Nov. 1, 2008.
"Providing food, gifts and holiday hope for our neighbors in need requires a lot of support," said Lynn Mikhail, NAM Assistance Program Director. "It takes a big group of volunteers to do the Holiday Project effectively."
NAM needs donations of holiday food such as canned fruit, stuffing, brownie or cookie mix, canned peas or carrots, canned soup, tuna, cereal, jello or instant pudding, macaroni and cheese, canned meat items such as chili, ham and salmon, dried beans and turkeys. NAM's goal is to provide families with not only a turkey or ham, but enough food for three to five days of meals so the holiday food has a meaningful impact on a family's budget. Downloadable food drive flyers are available at Hold a Food Drive for NAM.
NAM also needs donations of unwrapped toys and age appropriate gifts for children ranging from babies to 18 year olds.
"We are asking people to please not wrap donated gifts because volunteers have to unwrap them so they can be sorted based on the age of the child receiving the gift," Mikhail said.
Turkey, food and cash donations to purchase food may be dropped off at NAM's Food Pantry, 15555 Kuykendahl, one block south of FM 1960. Gift donations may be dropped off at the same location.
Cash donations also are always appreciated because donated funds enable NAM to purchase food and gifts that might not be donated.
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