Around the holidays, many of us become aware that we have neighbors in need, but we’re just not sure how best to help. Here are just a few of the programs in the Mint Hill area that are on a mission to help our neighbors who might be struggling at this time of year.

Servant’s Heart of Mint Hill – Two Holiday Programs

Thanksgiving Meal Program
Kim Rhodarmer of Servant’s Heart of Mint Hill is overwhelmed by the support that the Thanksgiving meal program has received. She is delighted to report that approximately 100 families will be eating a sumptuous meal thanks to the efforts of Elevation Church and Queens Grant Community School. However, there are still ways that Mint Hill residents can help to make this event even more special.

Along with the meal, Rhodarmer hopes to give each family a month’s supply of non-food essentials. There are many outlets for families in need to receive food such as local food pantries and through governmental assistance programs.

But most of these do not cover other needs such as laundry detergent and paper products. If you would like to help, please see the list of needs or contact Kim at 704-680-6533 if you have items you would like to donate.

Christmas Assistance Program
Servant’s Heart Christmas Assistance Program provides gifts for qualified families for the Christmas season. The goal is to allow parents to choose toys for children in their homes from infant to 12 years old.

For homes with teenagers, parents are given the option of choosing gift cards from places like Target and Walmart. Parents who want to participate in the program are “prequalified” and given an appointment to come and shop for gifts.

Servant’s Heart only accepts new toys for the program. Gifts should be donated unwrapped with prices on each gift. Servants Heart will accept donations after Thanksgiving and will be distributing them from December 12th through December 23rd.

Philadelphia Presbyterian Church – Christmas Tree Santas

Katie Sloan, Outreach Pastor at Philadelphia Presbyterian Church, remembers her first North Carolina Christmas. “When I first moved here, I didn’t have a lot. I got home from work one day, and there was a tree with lights and ornaments on my back porch. To this day, I don’t know who did it.”

The experience prompted her to contact a former classmate whose husband founded a program in Massachusetts called “Christmas Tree Santas.” The first year the program came to North Carolina, 75 families received Christmas trees. Philadelphia Church adopted the program and is giving away 150 trees to families in need this year.

Sloan works with local agencies such as Servant’s Heart, Hope Match, Claire’s Army, and Lutheran Family Services to screen needy families. The families will receive a live tree, ornaments, lights, and a tree stand. Local Boy Scouts will cut the trees to fit into the stand and tie them to the hood. The families will receive new, gently used, and handmade ornaments.

“Christmas Tree Santas” is active in 6 states. One way to help is to go online and adopt a tree in North Carolina or by donating Christmas tree-related items such as ornaments, tree skirts, working lights, tree toppers, or boxes of candy canes. Trees will be distributed on December 3rd at Philadelphia Church from 10:00 – 1:00.

Blair Road United Methodist Church – Book Bags of Love

Blair Road UMC is on a mission to help kids in need who attend the Lebanon Road Elementary School. For some, the meals provided at school are the only meals they eat.

The Book Bags of Love program tries to fill that gap by providing supplemental food to children for the weekends. Alice Thomasson, the Mission and Outreach Chair for Blair Road UMC, says this is an especially critical time of year since children will be out of school over the Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks and will miss those school meals.

“It’s hard to imagine not having enough food, but when some kids come to school in the morning, they haven’t had anything to eat since they left school the day before,” Thomasson says.

Thomasson adds that since these children are young, it is helpful if the donated food is in small containers and not in glass jars. Peanut butter and jelly, snack bars, and fruit cups are always welcome. In the past, the program has provided 25 book bags of food. Now, the program sends out 40 bags each week to local children in need. Donations of food or money are accepted anytime through the church office.

Servant’s Heart of Mint Hill – Thanksgiving Meal Program

• Laundry detergent
• Feminine hygiene items
• Window cleaner
• Lysol spray/wipes
• Paper napkins
• Razors & shaving cream
• Deodorant (for men & women)

Donations are accepted between now and Thanksgiving and can be dropped off at 9229 Lawyers Road . Contact Kim Rhodarmer at 704-680-6533 or email kim@servantsheart.org.

Servant’s Heart of Mint Hill – Christmas Assistance Program

• New Toys, unwrapped with prices for children from infant to 12 years
• $25 gift cards from area stores like Wal-Mart and Target
• Volunteers to help sort gifts and help families make their selections

Donations are accepted after Thanksgiving and can be dropped off at 9229 Lawyers Road. Gifts will be distributed to prequalified families Dec. 12-23. Contact Kim Rhodarmer at 704-680-6533 or email kim@servantsheart.org.

Philadelphia Presbyterian Church – Christmas Tree Santas

• New, gently used, or handmade ornaments
• Tree skirts or tree toppers
• Working lights
• Boxes of Candy Canes

Donations are being accepted now and can be dropped off at Philadelphia Presbyterian Church at 11501 Bain School Road; Trees will be distributed on Dec. 3rd . Contact Katie Perkins Sloan at Katie@philadlphiachurch.org or visit http://www.christmastreesantas.org/.

Blair Road United Methodist Church – Book Bags of Love

• Peanut butter
• Jelly
• Rice
• Pasta
• Vegetables
• Fruit
• Soup
• Cereal
• Oatmeal
• Snack bars

Donations are accepted at the church office Monday through Wednesday from 9:00 – 5:00 and Thursday from 9:00 – 7:00 at 9135 Blair Road. Contact Carmel Feldman at 704-953-2194 for more information.

Wilson Grove Baptist Church –Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry

• Frozen turkeys
• Canned Meat
• Canned Fruit
• Canned Pastas (like ravioli or spaghetti)
• Cereal
• 100% Juice
• Powdered Milk

Donations are accepted at the church at 6624 Wilgrove-Mint Hill Road, Monday – Friday from 9:00 – 3:00. Call the church office at 704-545-5625 for more information.