HOPE Summit Participants to Open Christmas Store

Oct. 30, 2012 - PRLog -- HOPE Summit attendees, Clean Socks Hope and Northside on Oak have announced plans to open a Christmas Store on Spring Street in New Albany. This joint venture led from discussions originated during the October 7, 2012 HOPE Summit event held at the Grand Theater.

“What Clean Socks Hope and Northside on Oak are doing is exactly what Leroy Barber talked about. Local agencies need to work on building relationships and make connections with those in need. We want to take it one step further. It’s just not about giveaways, but about a new way of providing dignity and encouragement,” Hope Southern Indiana's executive director Christine Harbeson said.

"Our dream for the Christmas Store is that in a small store front on Spring Street, the families of Midtown (New Albany) will feel that hopeful anticipation.  It won't just be a place to get stuff.  It won't just be a Christmas Store.  It will be a store filled with Christmas.  It will smell, taste, and feel like Christmas," Campus Pastor Brian Combs said. "The most important part of the store will be the restoration of dignity to our families."

How it Works: Families are invited and can earn “credits” to purchase gifts, practice recipes together, and enjoy samples of Christmas goodies. Those that have no money can work at the store to earn what they needed to purchase gifts for their family, since cash flow would be generated through the sale of donations. A small price would be placed on each toy or article of clothing somewhere between a garage sale and a wholesale price and parents from the community would be invited in to the Christmas shop. Then on Christmas morning, parents in the city would experience HOPE again by watching their children open the gifts they secured for them from the efforts of their own hands.

How you can help? You are invited to be a part of the HOPE for Parents—Christmas Store.  Donations of toys can be made at Northside on Oak during regular business hours, or at Northside Christian Church's weekend services through the month of November.  If you would like to make a financial contribution, you can make the check payable to Clean Socks Hope at (701 N Capitol Ave, Corydon IN 47112 or at http://cleansockshope.org click on the “Donate Button”).

The Christmas Store will open its doors on Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 1417 Spring Street in New Albany and will begin operation.

The joint effort is looking for volunteers to help during store hours, to sort toys and stock shelves, and to prepare Christmas recipes to share with guests. If you have any questions, or want to join the party, you can reach Northside on Oak at 812.542.4079  or Clean Socks Hope at 502.533.1135 for more details.

Future HOPE Summit Follow Up meetings will be held at Hope Southern Indiana's new Brown Starks location (1200 Bono Road, New Albany, IN 47150).