Christmas time is especially important for children, as their innocence provides dreams of Santa leaving their most sought after wishes under the Christmas tree. Thanks to the generosity of our community partners, HVAF provided gifts for a total of 62 families, 375 individuals, hoping to make these dreams a reality for the families we serve! Wide eyed and brimming with excitement, the children marveled as the gifts were delivered. These children often don’t expect much, they have had to face challenges no child should ever have to experience, like homelessness and food insecurity. Christmas is often not even expected, it’s as if the magic has already disappeared for them. However, HVAF is here to provide a different Christmas story for these families!

Three stories I witnessed this season made a dramatic impact on me. They represent three families, each in different moments of their journey with HVAF. The first family walked off the street to use our pantry. A veteran with a daughter whose 8^th birthday was the very next day. They needed food and had no Christmas gifts or a birthday gift for their daughter. The mother timidly asked for help, hoping only to provide something to make the celebrations a little more special. Thankfully, a wonderful donor had dropped off gift cards that morning and we were able to pass them along. The parents welled up in tears and the daughter was thrilled as she quickly began to plan her birthday party and even invited me to attend! The mom had me grab a photo with the exuberant soon-to-be birthday girl!

Xander, Rowan, Kota, and Isabella. 

The second story is about a family whose dad is an Army veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, and has been deployed six times. He brought his family to HVAF, homeless and hungry, about six months ago, for housing support. We were able to provide the family with housing, food, household appliances, and a computer for the children, thanks to generous donors, but were not able to fulfill their last need, a car. He has been working but was forced to use an Uber to get to work and was using a substantial amount of his income for transportation. Just days before Christmas a wonderful donor reached out wanting to give their used car to a deserving veteran. On December 23^rd, this veteran signed his name to the title of the car, a Christmas gift like no other! There were tears flowing from the veteran family, the donor, the family’s HVAF case manager, and me as I marveled at the Christmas miracle. The teenage son, Ethen, and the teenage daughter Abbe, hugged me so tightly, as the gift meant so much to them. You see, they have lived the struggle too. Abbe whispered in my ear, “I didn’t think this would ever happen for us.”  I was humbled by that statement and so thankful I worked for an organization that could restore what so many of us take for granted.

Lastly, I delivered gifts for the third year to a single mom, an Army veteran with four children. I have gotten to know this family well through events we do throughout the year with the Veteran Engagement Committee. Each event, little Rowan gives me a hug and updates me on all the latest about her baby brother Kota. I remember when this family was homeless, and I first delivered their gifts to a hotel room HVAF had provided. Now, they reside in a beautiful rental home and the children are blossoming. I have witnessed five lives that have been transformed before me.

These three families are just a few of the many lives that are impacted because of HVAF and generous donors. It’s not just the veteran who faces the struggle, it’s the spouse, and the children too. It’s not just the veteran whose life is impacted by the services and programs HVAF provides, it’s the spouse and the children, as well. And when it comes to Christmas, we may be restoring the magic of the holiday for everyone, myself included.

We can only provide for these families because of the generous donations from YOU! It takes all of us to care for our veterans and their families. No hero or their family should ever be homeless or hungry! Please continue supporting HVAF in this new year as we change lives together.

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