Project Hope volunteers to meet on Tuesday
By Bonnie Edwards
Published in News on November 6, 2005 2:08 AM
Project Hope is gearing up for another Christmas season, accepting donations and signing up to man the collection point on Fridays.
Yvonne Sutton founded Project Hope in 2002 to gather personal items and toys for those who would otherwise not have a merry Christmas.
This will be Project Hope's third year providing Glory Bags. Families sign up to receive either a ham dinner or a turkey dinner. The trimmings include greens, corn, yams, rice or stuffing, cake mix with icing and Cool Aid with sugar for the family to prepare together.
Ms. Sutton leads a group of 4-H club member who will bag up the goodies and help deliver them to those who are elderly or need help but do not qualify for public assistance.
"We did 10 the first year and 20 the second year," she said.
People who wish to volunteer for Project Hope can do so by applying from 6 until 8 p.m. Tuesday at 406 S. James St., Goldsboro, or by calling 635-0812. The volunteers will put the bags together on Saturdays beginning in mid-November.
Ms. Sutton said new projects abound this season, including a drive to collect educational toys for pre-schoolers.
"I teach pre-school, and some come in and don't have the cognitive, social, emotional or fine motor skills that they need," she said. "Dolls are good, but they still need toys that will help them develop these skills, like play dough, scissors, board books and puzzles."
She will also gather kits for teenage boys and girls this year. The kits will include things like personal items and gift cards to buy clothing.
Another new project this season will be toy boxes. People can deliver toy boxes loaded with toys. The boxes can be large, small or in between.
The volunteers will collect the donations every Friday from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. The deadline for having all items in place is Dec. 5.
Ms. Sutton's organization, Remedy of Community Needs Ministries, offers counseling and referrals to people who come for help. She is also a guardian Ad litem.