A Wish for Christmas St Clair/Sanilac

Since 2013 we have been helping families in need for Christmas. However, our way is a little bit different than most. We like to involve the individuals, families, businesses, schools and other organizations that want to donate to our families by helping them find that perfect family/s to help. Once they have found their family/s it is up to them to shop, communicate and deliver to their specific family/s. We also have anonymous shoppers that buy for their adopted family/s and our team members step in and deliver to their family/s. and we shop for those families that haven’t yet found their adopter or are a last minute dire situation with the monetary funds that have been donated specifically to our program A Wish for Christmas St Clair/Sanilac County. You can find us on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/awishforchristmasstclaircounty Each and every year we see the amazing people in our community step up and help these families, there is so much generosity and an out pouring of love, Christmas spirit and sharing the love of Christ, the reason for the season.

We use Facebook to post the families that are up for adoption; we post the families by number, size and place of residence to make it easier for those looking to adopt. We do not share our families names with the public, the only people who know who they are is our team and their adopter. Some adopters choose to stay anonymous so we don’t share adopters names at all unless specified to do so. Many donate monetarily either to shop for a designated family or those who have not been adopted or as with every year, the last minute families that are in dire need.

Thousands of children have been helped since 2013. Each year our adopters and donors help hundreds of children and their families’ Wish for Christmas come true and with your help this year will be no different. We have a wonderful community and they have helped us grow each and every year! We thank them, without them, this effort would never work. This community is one of our biggest blessings.

End of Season Post: 2023

Every eve of Christmas~ I usually write a little ditty about all the new items the kids will be waking up to on Christmas morning. This year just feels different.

411 children were helped this year and yes, those 411 children will be waking up to new things in the morning. But, I wonder if they know the love that is behind all of those shiny new toys, the work that was put in to find them each their own special thing, special clothing item, special toy, special game.

We've seen a lot of thank you posts in our family group; posts of how some wouldn't have had anything to open if it wasn't for that special group, company, family or person making sure those 411 kids were not disappointed.

It's been a hard year for many people & for some this year brought so much more than they expected whether it was health issues to deal with, losing loved ones, financial losses & just some all around unkindness from life itself.

I wanted to focus this year on the gratitude I've seen from a majority of our families & the selflessness, the kindness & the love of giving from those who made sure all of these 411 children didn't wake up tomorrow disappointed.

Kids sometimes don't realize the things that happen in the background to make sure they're taken care of & to be honest, they shouldn't. Kids should be allowed to be kids & have wonder, surprise and hope. They should not have to feel the stress of finances, the struggles parent's go through and the worry when Christmas time comes around. Kids should feel the magic, the wonderment, the innocence in life and especially when it comes to Christmas, they should be allowed to feel the excitement, the joy, the anticipation to unwrap things that they've been longing for & the elation of getting something they never even expected.

Our kids have a lot laid on them in daily life, more than I ever had when I was growing up, I know that for sure.

So, I was thinking this year, when I sit down to write my final Christmas post.. that even though times are so different now, the people who make this page work are not. The people who make this work and made it work this year for 411 kids are not different at all. They remember.. they remember what it was like to go to bed on Christmas eve, hardly sleep, toss & turn and wake up extra early.. be quiet and sneak to take a peak at all those gifts with bright bows and paper just begging to be torn open.

I want to thank you all.. all of you who helped with these children, I want you to know you didn't just provide clothing, toys & bedding and more to these kids. You provided hope, wonder & joy. You provided a piece of their childhood. You made a memory for them, a Christmas memory. You made a difference in the life of a child & I hope knowing this makes you smile. I hope it brings back memories of your childhood Christmases and memories of hope & joy.

I want to thank all of you who helped make a Wish for Christmas come true for a child this year, those who adopted, donated, bought from our gift lists.. I'm so happy to see families that were helped in the past come back and give back.

You all aren't just some random people who help an organization, you are the organization, you are part of our A Wish for Christmas family. You are appreciated more than you'll ever ever know!

God has blessed this organization with so many that help each year & He introduced us to many new people this year that we hope become at home here as well. I am personally humbled and at awe at His blessings on this organization not only at Christmas but throughout the entire year. He leads, we follow.

I also want to thank my team & our new delivery person who became my right hand this year, Maddie. She sleighed it!

May everyone of you have a very blessed Christmas & a Happy, Healthy & Blessed New Year!