Gwinnett Daily Post

Photo by Tori Boone

With the Christmas season in full swing and approaching as rapidly as it always seems to, Rainbow Village is busy preparing to make the holidays extra special for our families and children. Our Holiday Party will be held Dec. 17 with Santa in attendance and presents for all. Memories are always made at this event as we watch the children’s eyes light up when they receive a special gift, whisper in Santa’s ear, and most importantly, have a warm and safe house to go home to.

We are ever thankful for the generosity of our Rainbow Village friends who make all this possible. From faith partners making wreaths to decorate the doors of the Rainbow Village families, to others who sponsor a family for Christmas, and to those who drop in and tell us that they just wanted to give back to someone else, we never fail to witness God’s love during this special time of the year.

Since Thanksgiving always gives us the opportunity to reflect on how thankful we are for the riches in our life, it is especially important that leading into the holiday season, we remember what we were thankful for just a few short weeks ago. Some of our Rainbow Village children stated most eloquently, at a recent Thanksgiving event, what they were thankful for. Thanks included Rainbow Village, their teacher, their Mom, their stuffed animal, their house, Ms. Sondra, and on and on. Many thanks were extended to special volunteers who regularly give of their time with these children. Some are volunteers serving dinner to them, some are volunteers who mentor these children on a regular basis, and some are volunteers who participate in Big Recess where the kids get an opportunity to run and play and enjoy the excitement of just being a child while forgetting for a while about some of the difficulties they experienced before finding Rainbow Village.

We hope that during this busy time of the year, you will find it in your heart to learn more about Rainbow Village and what we are doing in the community for homeless families with children. As you go about your daily lives and deal with the pressures we all face, take a moment and imagine you and your children homeless. Remember that the face of homelessness is ever changing and the needs are great. Giving to the least and the lost is a mission we can’t afford to abandon.

If you would like more information on how you can be involved, please visit our website at www.rainbowvillage.org

Nancy Yancey is CEO of Rainbow Village.