On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Esperanca Women’s Guild made the holidays a little bit brighter for many low-income families in Phoenix.  They delivered gifts to 68 families and 228 children at the Golden Gate Community Center.

Most of the families are participants in the Golden Gate Community Center KARE Kinship Program which provides social services to relatives raising children of their family members through social support groups, case management and other activities that provide additional resources for these families.

According to Maria Valenzuela, Community Health Coordinator at Esperanca, “Most of the families who participate in this program are grandparents who have legal custody of their grandchildren.  They become legal guardians for reasons such as illness, addiction, abuse or death, etc.”

One family who benefited from this year’s program is a 19 year old who was awarded legal custody for her four younger siblings, ages 6 to 16 years old.  She struggles to provider for herself and now has the responsibility to provide for four other children.  Thanks to Esperanca’s Christmas Angel program the family will have toys and a holiday meal.

“When you hear stories like this, it makes you extremely grateful for our sponsors.  Many families are struggling this holiday season and it’s nice to know we’re making a difference.  We’re giving families a reason to believe and rejoice this holiday season,” said Valenzuela.

A special thanks goes out to our corporate sponsors: USAA, United Healthcare and Virgo Publishing, Jacobs Pine Consulting, and Bank of America (South Phoenix Branches), and to the Women’s Guild volunteers and Jacobs family.