Filling Empty Stockings

Staff Play Santa at Empty Stocking Event

Empty Stocking Fund Volunteers
Dominique Beverly, left, and Rachel Jackson

Freedom staff spent a recent evening filling empty stockings. The charity behind the event, The Empty Stocking Fund, collects toys and gifts for needy kids. It has become a Freedom tradition to support The Empty Stocking Fund each year by collecting goods and filling stockings. Collection bins are at all branches and donations are being accepted through the end of the year.

The work takes place in a warehouse full of collected donations. Volunteers pull together hand-picked selections for each child on the list. Matches are made based on age, gender, reading level, clothes size, and hobbies. Each child receives a variety of items, such as toys, clothes, books, arts and crafts, games and toiletries.

Empty Stocking Fund Volunteers
From L to R, back: Andrea Woodard, Rachel Jackson, Dominique Beverly, Jennifer Terry, Robert Wehland, Susan Tannahill, Undisclosed (with bear). Front: Toni Kanely, Ken Terry

This year The Empty Socking Fund has helped 282 families, including 656 children.

Empty Stocking Fund Collection Drive

Empty Stocking Fund Collection Begins October 6Empty Stocking Fund Collection

Join us in helping to make the holidays a little brighter for Harford County’s families in need—donate to the Empty Stocking Fund! Bring new unwrapped toys, food goods, or monetary donations to any of our five branches. The collection drive kicks off October, 6th and continues through the end of the year.

Collection bins for new unwrapped toys and food items will be available at all five Freedom branches. Collected items go to Empty Stocking headquarters as the bins fill. Before the holidays, volunteers then pull together a “stocking” full of of donated items specially chosen for each child on the Fund’s list. Bring in a gift for a baby, a teenage boy, or a toddler girl. Stockings are given out to kids of all ages and with all interests!

Get in the holiday spirit and make a donation to The Empty Stocking Fund this season!

Stuffing Stockings on a Rainy Night

Staff Fill Stockings for the Empty Stocking Fund

esf-volunteers-12-6-16
(L to R) Pictured are Freedom volunteers Alicia Bowman, Susan Tannahill, Julie Irby (seated), Kelly Berends, Dominique Beverly and Tabitha Becker with her sons Robby and Riley.

A group of Freedom employees and their children spent Tuesday night helping the Empty Stocking Fund pull together Christmas gifts for needy children. The Empty Stocking Fund (ESF) collects new, unwrapped toys for distribution to local children who would otherwise go without. Additionally, ESF collects food goods and monetary donations for local families in need. Collection begins several months before the holidays. Freedom has supported the ESF with collection efforts at all branches for many years now.

Pulling together the “stockings” is a fun process. In a warehouse full of collected goods, volunteers select a variety of toys, games, clothing, books, grooming supplies and other gifts appropriate for each individual child. It’s a wonderful way to spread the joy of the season.

A large collection of items that we’ve collected this year will be picked up for the Empty Stocking Fund today, replenishing the supply of goodies for distribution. Thanks to the members and staff who contributed supplies or funds to the effort!