In our December newsletter we let you know that your neighbor, Joanne Austin, was organizing a gift drive for the children who live at the Lilac Meadows Family Shelter. Foster-Powell stepped up and answered the call! Here is an email update we recently received from Joanne —

When Scott Sorenson and I embarked on this ambitious project to provide Xmas stockings and wish list gifts to ALL 102 children living at the Lilac Meadows family shelter only three short weeks ago, I really had no idea whether we would be able to find enough neighbors willing to help make this a reality.  I shouldn’t have doubted, as it was apparent after only a few days of fielding inquiries from SO many of you that we would easily reach our goal.  Thanks to your abundant generosity, I can happily report that every child at Lilac Meadows will be receiving every gift they dared to request, as well as fully stuffed stockings full of extra goodies and practical necessities.  This is ALL due to each of you stepping up in big and small ways. This was a true effort that spanned many neighborhoods, and many of you went above and beyond any reasonable expectations!  My basement and Scott’s garage are now FULL of gifts and stockings, ready for delivery to Lilac Meadows on Wednesday evening.  (See sample pics).

This project has restored my own faith in humanity and has been a complete joy for me to be a part of, and I look forward to repeating it again next year since (sadly), I’m sure the need will still be there.

Humbly and gratefully yours,
Joanne Austin

Many thanks to everyone who helped make this effort a reality. The biggest thanks go to Joanne and Scott for organizing and doing so much of the work!