By Mike Hazlip—
Tuesday wrapped up the donation period for “Operation Holiday Cheer,” an effort to bring some relief and joy to families in Citrus Heights who experienced a recent hardship.
The Police Department, which helps put on the effort each year, shared a public thank you to the “AMAZING people and service clubs who dropped off presents this last week.” The department said the efforts will make “this holiday brighter for so many who need it!”
Community members from the Citrus Heights Area Seven Eight and Nine neighborhood association (CHASEN) were among those who helped with donations, adopting a local family through the Holiday Cheer effort. Volunteers dropped off the donations to City Hall Tuesday afternoon.
CHASEN volunteer Elizabeth Gallagher said the presents collected by her association will go to a single mom with six children, all under the age of eight. The gifts include four cans of formula as well as gift cards and toys, she said.
“This is all donated, or purchased with donated money,” Gallagher said. “We spent no money out of CHASEN’s pocket and it was all from our community.”
The family receiving the gifts has three boys and three girls, and the mother currently works two jobs, Gallagher said. The family lives in the neighborhood area CHASEN represents.
“Paying it forward is like paying it back,” Gallagher said. “It’s the way I live. I’ve had a lot of things given. All of us have been in a place where we’ve needed help.”
The family will receive the gifts this week as part of the city’s Holiday Cheer operation. The annual event was formerly known as the Holiday Referral program and is a partnership between the city, police department, local service clubs, businesses, community members, and schools.
The program seeks to provide assistance to local families who have experienced a hardship over the past year, with benefiting families being nominated by a friend or other acquaintance to qualify.
