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Organization ministers to families during holiday season
  
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By ROYCELYN BASTIAN
A line of cars veered around Mission Northeast in New Caney last week as families in East Montgomery County received their holiday meal.
The nonprofit organization helped more than 300 families for the Thanksgiving holiday by giving baskets full of items used to make a traditional meal.
“We have handed out Thanksgiving baskets to primarily families in East Montgomery County for the last 13 years,” said Lorie Young, executive director of The Mission.
While the number of families that have needs in EMC is staggering, Young said the number has decreased over the years. She said the reason is because there are other organizations who also help needy families in the area.
“We used to do as much as 500 families, but we began to share with other agencies. Now, a family that registers with us for a holiday meal cannot go and register at another agency,” Young said. “This way, all available resources are used to help as many families as possible.”
To help hand out the Thanksgiving baskets, students from the Porter Christian Academy were on site carrying bags of food and turkeys to the waiting cars at Mission Northeast.
“It makes me feel good to do something for the community,” said 12th-grader Jeremy Benson. “As we brought the food to the cars, we heard appreciation from the families.”
Chris Spears, an 11th-grader, said he volunteered last year with the school to come and hand out food to the families.
“It feels good to help people have a happy Thanksgiving,” he said. “It is good to get out there and help out when you can.”
The nonprofit organization also received help from the senior adults at Woodridge Baptist Church in Kingwood, CHATA Home Schoolers; a group that serves students from Humble, Kingwood and East Montgomery County; and the Second Baptist Church North Singles.
In addition to helping families in the area, Mission Northeast finds ways to help senior citizens in the community. On Dec. 11, the organization will host its annual Christmas Party for its senior adult clients complete with entertainment, cake, punch and Christmas gifts they have asked for.
“For the eighth year in a row, this recognition of our special seniors is the highlight of our year,” Young said. “Most of our seniors live lonely lives and have little support from relatives who live far away.”
The Mission is asking the community to help by donating gift items such as silverware, coffee makers, tool sets and Wal-Mart gift cards by Dec. 4.
Mission Northeast is now turning its attention to the Christmas holiday as it gets ready to open the Christmas Store Dec. 20.
“Families attending the store are education students at The Mission, single moms or dads working or going to school or working full time,” Young said.
Families on the list are those working on their GEDs or enrolled in The Mission’s certified nurse’s aid, welding and financial literacy classes as well as “Mission: Possible!”; grandparents raising grandchildren; disabled adults with children in their home; and recommendations from school counselors and local church pastors.
The Christmas Store will allow parents to go in and shop for their children and for children to go in and pick out gifts for their parents. The store will have a gift wrapping service on site and the families get to take the gifts home with them and put them underneath their trees.
In order for the Christmas Store to be a ministry for families, gift donations are needed by Dec. 11. Volunteers are needed for gift wrapping, working in the activity barn, escorting adults and children, photographing and distributing food. The first shift is 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. and the second is 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., which also includes cleanup. Volunteers are also needed Dec. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. for stocking night.
“This is our way of rewarding families who are moving forward and are taking steps to improve their lives,” Young said.
For More Info
To access a list of needed gift items for Mission Northeast’s Christmas Store, visit www.missionne.org or call 281-354-1200.
The nonprofit organization helped more than 300 families for the Thanksgiving holiday by giving baskets full of items used to make a traditional meal.
“We have handed out Thanksgiving baskets to primarily families in East Montgomery County for the last 13 years,” said Lorie Young, executive director of The Mission.
While the number of families that have needs in EMC is staggering, Young said the number has decreased over the years. She said the reason is because there are other organizations who also help needy families in the area.
“We used to do as much as 500 families, but we began to share with other agencies. Now, a family that registers with us for a holiday meal cannot go and register at another agency,” Young said. “This way, all available resources are used to help as many families as possible.”
To help hand out the Thanksgiving baskets, students from the Porter Christian Academy were on site carrying bags of food and turkeys to the waiting cars at Mission Northeast.
“It makes me feel good to do something for the community,” said 12th-grader Jeremy Benson. “As we brought the food to the cars, we heard appreciation from the families.”
Chris Spears, an 11th-grader, said he volunteered last year with the school to come and hand out food to the families.
“It feels good to help people have a happy Thanksgiving,” he said. “It is good to get out there and help out when you can.”
The nonprofit organization also received help from the senior adults at Woodridge Baptist Church in Kingwood, CHATA Home Schoolers; a group that serves students from Humble, Kingwood and East Montgomery County; and the Second Baptist Church North Singles.
In addition to helping families in the area, Mission Northeast finds ways to help senior citizens in the community. On Dec. 11, the organization will host its annual Christmas Party for its senior adult clients complete with entertainment, cake, punch and Christmas gifts they have asked for.
“For the eighth year in a row, this recognition of our special seniors is the highlight of our year,” Young said. “Most of our seniors live lonely lives and have little support from relatives who live far away.”
The Mission is asking the community to help by donating gift items such as silverware, coffee makers, tool sets and Wal-Mart gift cards by Dec. 4.
Mission Northeast is now turning its attention to the Christmas holiday as it gets ready to open the Christmas Store Dec. 20.
“Families attending the store are education students at The Mission, single moms or dads working or going to school or working full time,” Young said.
Families on the list are those working on their GEDs or enrolled in The Mission’s certified nurse’s aid, welding and financial literacy classes as well as “Mission: Possible!”; grandparents raising grandchildren; disabled adults with children in their home; and recommendations from school counselors and local church pastors.
The Christmas Store will allow parents to go in and shop for their children and for children to go in and pick out gifts for their parents. The store will have a gift wrapping service on site and the families get to take the gifts home with them and put them underneath their trees.
In order for the Christmas Store to be a ministry for families, gift donations are needed by Dec. 11. Volunteers are needed for gift wrapping, working in the activity barn, escorting adults and children, photographing and distributing food. The first shift is 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. and the second is 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., which also includes cleanup. Volunteers are also needed Dec. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. for stocking night.
“This is our way of rewarding families who are moving forward and are taking steps to improve their lives,” Young said.
For More Info
To access a list of needed gift items for Mission Northeast’s Christmas Store, visit www.missionne.org or call 281-354-1200.
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