Family of 11 Receives Surprise Christmas in Anchorage
A Heartwarming Story from the Anchorage Community
Early December, The Alaska Divisional Headquarters received an email from a 15-year-old child asking for Christmas help on behalf of his single mother of ten children.
Part of the note read: “She manages to do for us all from sports school church and everything else. I want to help my mom it does not have to be big things it doent have to be much. I feel that by me taking this step maybe out of line but i want help my mom to smile again she deserves it. Shes out here trying to offer strangers to clean their house for extra money for a Christmas tree yes its not that serious to have but my little sister keeps bugging her for a tree like the neighbors. We keep telling mom its ok we dont need a tree. Lastnight i heard her crying and praying about a way to make her kids happy and joyful.”
“The Christmas tree with all the bells and whistles was unexpected by the mother,” recalled The Salvation Army Anchorage Community Center Corps Officer, Colonel Dan Starrett. “The home was spotless, but bare. We were able to also get the family set-up with the adopt-a-family gift program sponsored by a local organization.”
“It was a lot of fun to get to play Santa Claus on behalf of other people,” he said. “I’m so sad that [our donors] do not get to see the joy, but what I tell people is: close your eyes for thirty seconds and imagine the reaction of someone in need getting a gift that you gave them.”
“The mother felt so much of a need to give back that she signed up to volunteer at the Anchorage Neighborhood GIFT event for all three days to help others in need,” said another Salvation Army staff member. “She had a great attitude at the event and was a great help.”
Our donors and community supporters are the ones who really make the blessings of Christmas celebrations happen for so many families in need each year.