The 6 Stones nonprofit will host their annual Night of Hope the week of Dec. 7 for at-risk families in the HEB ISD school district.
Teaming up with the elementary schools, 6 Stones invites struggling families to the event where they are given presents and Christmas dinner while. The goal of the event is to take away budgetary stress so families can enjoy the holiday.
6 Stones Volunteer Dorothy Gardener said that Night of Hope is meant to bring joy to families who view the holidays as a burden rather than a celebration.
“For the last last years, I have gotten to see parents and their children come together and enjoy Christmas without worrying. They learn to hope again and see the world in a better light,” said Gardener.
The event is hosted at several of the HEB ISD elementary schools, and kicks off with a Holiday party for the families. Later in the night, families are separated so the parents can pick up their children’s toys and the food to store in the car.
Due to the global pandemic, everyone involved is required to wear a mask social distance. Participants are also given the option to have a volunteer deliver everything to their car for a contactless exchange.
On the weekends leading up to the event, 6 Stones uses its Family Service Day’s to prepare. Volunteers organize the food and toys into their designated POD so food is evenly distributed and the toys are taken to the correct location.
In the year 2019, Night of Hope had 1,888 volunteers who served 3,808 children. The event also raised thousands of dollars and acquired several sponsors.
6 Stones Communication Coordinator Sarah Langer said that due to the global pandemic, they’re anticipating more families to attend then years past.
“We need people now more than ever,” Langer said, “This last year, families have lost so much to COVID and we are here to try and bring some joy in these dark times. Night of Hope is an opportunity for those struggling to feel the holiday spirit and find hope. To make this possible, we ask our community to help in any way they possible can.”
For safety purposes, more locations have been added and participants are given a time slot for the event to limit each buildings. Volunteers are required to wear gloves and keep contact to a minimum when dealing with the food and toys.
Families participating in the event provide 6 Stones with their child’s wish list so they can be “adopted” by a volunteer. The volunteer is required to fill out an online form and must spend approximately $65 per child.
The volunteering options and sign-ups are provided on the website along with the different dates. Each position has its own responsibility whether it be entertaining the children or passing out presents..