Good Works: FCC duo makes holiday magic (La Crosse Tribune)
Each year, as the holidays approach, one can find Ellen Hongerholt and Greg White of Family & Children’s Center’s advancement and marketing office filling in as elves, creating magic for nearly 200 area families.
Many clients served by FCC have very little, if anything, to spend during the holidays, so 20 years ago, the agency created a holiday giving program, inviting community members to join their crew in bringing the spirit of the season to life.
As the program has evolved in recent years — due to COVID, FCC’s upcoming move to its new Monitor Street office, and, most importantly, the shifting needs of clients — a focus on gift cards emerged as a better way to manage the program.
This practical approach has been seamlessly integrated into the workflow of Hongerholt and White, who diligently work to secure donations, meticulously catalog both gift cards and physical gifts, and ensure their distribution through FCC’s various programs in southwestern Wisconsin and Winona, Minn.
How has this program affected children and families?
Just days before Christmas, Sara was homeless and alone after being discharged from inpatient drug treatment. She was set to meet with FCC staff as she was joining the Community Support Program. FCC Clinical Coordinator Suzie Howe noticed that there remained some pens, adult coloring books, and a journal on hand that she could gather for Sara.
Suzie met with Sara in her hotel room. Sara had a bag with a few items of clothing but nothing else. She was intermittently tearful and hopeful. But she was sober. Sara desperately wanted to maintain her sobriety. She was unsure what she would do to occupy her time, alone, in a hotel, knowing no one.
Suzie gave Sara the gifts, which drew tears to Sara’s eyes. She said, “I know what I will do. I know how I will spend my time. I will be able to keep my brain occupied, so I do not think about using. Thank you so much. Who would have thought to get me a gift? No one even knows me? Who did such a thoughtful thing?”
Suzie only responded, “Someone who cares.”
Gifts do more than anyone can know during the holidays. It lets those who have nothing know that “someone cares.”
If you could create a magical gift for the families and children you serve, what would it be?
We would love to be able to magically secure our clients’ desired outcomes here as quickly as possible. Like physical health, caring for mental health is complex. It can take time for children to grow from adversity or for families to heal from trauma, and that is why we work tirelessly every day. But if we could have a gift of any amount or size, it truly is the love coming from it that makes it a magical gift. We love to share them with our clients. Fortunately, we do feel that there is a touch of that gift in every one of our staff members.
Looking forward, what are some goals or aspirations you have for the holiday giving program in the future?
We want to ensure every year that we can meet the needs of our clients not only during the Holiday Giving effort but throughout the year. As we move to our new facility, we are excited about the opportunities it will afford for our 5,500 clients, programs, and the community at large.
In future years, we hope we can expand the program to reach more clients in ways that will help them experience better tomorrows, thanks to the generosity of community members.
Article originally appeared in La Crosse Tribune on December 19, 2023.
