The holidays can be a stressful time for families that are barely getting by.
Many parents who are working hard to provide for their children must choose between buying daily necessities and Christmas gifts.
KyUMH's Mary Kendall Community Services team noticed this need and decided to take action.
KyUMH's Mary Kendall Community Services opened a "Holiday Dollar Market" in November, just as holiday shopping kicked off. The Market offered clothes, food, toys, and household items, all donated by members of the community. All items were listed for a dollar or less to make holiday joy more accessible to Owensboro area families.
Jaklyn Hill, one of our targeted case managers, was one of the leaders of this initiative.
“Nothing is over a dollar,” says Jaklyn, “And we have just about everything in here that a family could need for the holidays.”
When asked about how the market has made a difference, one story comes to Jakyln’s mind.
A young woman came in after work looking for kitchen appliances but didn’t have enough money to cover everything she needed. Jaklyn and the rest of the MKCS team decided to give her a pressure cooker and toaster oven at no cost. They later learned the woman was a single mother who had just moved into a new apartment. She had been preparing meals for her three children with just a microwave. She was so excited to cook a proper meal that night.
“People came in every day that we were open,” says Jaklyn, “Filling up their bags and purchasing items that can help them get by or just enjoy life a little bit more.”
Thank you to everyone who donated items to the market and to those who came in to help keep it running smoothly. Your support has brought so much warmth and light to Owensboro families.
