By Melanie Patterson

The North Jefferson News



Those who head up Christmas charity efforts are seeing a new tone of desperation this year with families that need help during the holidays.

With the U.S. economy reportedly in its worst shape in 30 years, volunteers keep hearing story after story about residents who have lost their jobs and can’t make ends meet.

One sign of how bad things are is in Warrior, where Wanda Dake heads up the food bank at WaterStone Baptist Church.

For the first time in her 20 years as director, Dake saw the food bank’s shelves emptied last month.

“We normally serve an average of 30 families a month,” she said. “Last month we served 60 and turned away 15 because we ran out of food.”

The ministry’s monthly distribution takes place today. Dake said she and the other volunteers are prepared to serve 72 families this month, but she knows she might have to turn families away again.

A few miles south, Morris city clerk Rachael Turner has also witnessed the recent change.

The city sponsors a Families Helping Families program by providing toys, clothes and food to several Morris families. The families must fill out applications and qualify for assistance.

This year the city is helping 18 families with a total of 39 children. Last year the city assisted seven Morris families.

“There are more hard luck stories this year. There are so many people that need help,” said Turner. “We’re hearing about people that just got laid off and can’t find a job. They can’t pay rent or put food on the table.

“It’s really sad. It makes you extra thankful for what you have,” she said.

In order to provide for everyone who needs help, city workers held two road blocks that netted a total of almost $2,000.

Dollar General in Morris donated enough toys for the city to share with Kimberly’s Christmas program. Also, Teddy Bear Land donated $400.

Kimberly and Warrior have the same story.

Mona Hendrix, who heads up the Christmas in Kimberly program, said the town donated gifts to 31 children, an increase from 18 kids last year.

“A lot of people are getting laid off or getting their hours cut,” said Hendrix.

In Warrior, the Civitan Club is sponsoring the second annual Winter Coats for Warrior’s Kids program.

Club president Jackie Wesson said more families are asking for coats this year compared to last Christmas.

“We have seen a very significant increase in the number of people requesting assistance,” said Wesson.

Churches, many of which are accustomed to helping people throughout the year, have also seen an explosion of requests in recent months.

Nelson Hannah, minister of pastoral care at Gardendale First Baptist Church for 10 years, usually receives two or three phone calls a day from people needing help with a power bill or groceries.

“In my office alone, I average returning calls to six to a dozen people a day in the last couple of months,” said Hannah. “It’s jumped a great percentage. It’s calls all day long.”

Nelson said his church, the largest in north Jefferson County, is “kind of overrun. We have more requests than we have ability to meet the need.”

He said it has been that way for three months. He receives calls not only from Gardendale, but also from Center Point, Bessemer, Birmingham and other areas.

“Most of the time it’s people on the bubble anyway, on the fragile edge,” Nelson said. “But now it’s not just them. I’m getting lots of calls and requests from people who have been laid off from jobs that were secure. You can gauge the economy by the number of requests.”

Christmas angel trees and other organizations that help provide Christmas gifts for kids are often viewed by the public with a shade of cynicism.

Stories are widespread about families that abuse the system by getting their kids onto multiple lists and receiving truckloads of Christmas presents.

Nelson sees his share of people who abuse others’ charitable spirits, but he does not let it jade him.

“A lot of folks are desperately in need and then there’s a small number of folks who are scamming,” he said. “You have to learn to read between the lines and listen.”

This year, however, many, many calls are from people who genuinely need help.