A grandmother raising her three grandchildren didn’t know how she was going to provide gifts this holiday season after thieves broke into her home and stole everything – including the furnace and water heater – on Thanksgiving Day.
For a single mom living in a tiny apartment with her four children, her financial struggles worsened after she needed to switch to part-time work to care for her two severely autistic children. Buying gifts for the holidays just wasn’t possible in her budget.
Thanks to OCC employees, these families will wake up Christmas morning with gifts to open.
Employees at multiple campuses have teamed up to adopt these families through the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA).
“Both of these families are taken aback that a group of strangers are willing to step in and help them,” said Linda Vanderwaal, OLHSA associate director of program development. “It has given them hope and faith in humanity.
“All of our population is below the poverty line, but we’re seeing more than ever an increase in people meeting our poverty guidelines. A lot of grandparents are raising their grandkids, families are impacted by incarceration and domestic violence is on the rise.”
The Gift of Giving
For nearly a decade, counselors at the Royal Oak and Southfield campuses have worked together to help the most vulnerable families in the community have a memorable holiday. Auburn Hills employees also have adopted families for a few years and joined in the effort this year by adopting a second family.
The task is huge and involves a lot of coordination among employees at different campuses. It starts prior to Thanksgiving with contacting the nonprofit to identify a family and provide a wish list. Then the whirlwind of activity begins with creating a Sign-Up Genius for employees to purchase gifts; buying wrapping paper, tape, ribbon and bows; sorting, tagging and wrapping gifts; and delivering gifts to the family.
Spearheading the efforts are Counselors Nahrein Atkinson and Ed Stotts (RO), Christina Dedvukaj (SF), and Kris Evans and Mary Thomas (AH).
“There is so much care and attention given to make sure these kids have a nice holiday,” Stotts said. “Faculty, staff and administrators go above and beyond by bringing things that were not on the list. A few years ago, faculty members brought diapers and dish detergent, which is so thoughtful. If you are struggling in poverty, these are things you really need.”
Putting on the Finishing Touch
At the Royal Oak campus, Atkinson’s office fills up quickly with unwrapped gifts dropped off by employees and the back of the Counseling department turns into a makeshift workshop for wrapping.
Adjunct Counselor Gayle Minneci is known as the official present wrapper, spending hours making the presents look special with her handmade bows.
“I’m not going to just slap paper on the gifts,” Minneci said. “I don’t want families to think these are pity presents, I want them to think these presents are coming from the heart, so I want them to look nice.
“I hope on Christmas day these families can have a smile on their face, and this makes them feel special and brings them joy. That’s what the whole season is about.”
Partnership with OLHSA
Stotts began working with OLHSA 13 years ago when he was the coordinator of mental health and social work at OCC. He arranged to have students intern at the organization.
“Working with OLHSA has been so wonderful for OCC,” Stotts said. “We have worked with them through their Prisoner Reentry and Head Start programs. Knowing they are working to help young children in poverty speaks strongly to the OCC community.”
If you are interested in donating or volunteering at OLHSA, contact Vanderwaal at lindav@olhsa.org.
About OCC
Oakland Community College offers nearly 100 degrees and certificates programs with the resources students need to be successful and advance our community. As a top transfer institution, OCC offers one of the state’s most affordable tuition rates and flexibility in scheduling with face-to-face and online options. The College is nationally recognized for its high-demand career training with expert faculty in their fields. More than 1 million students have enrolled in the College since it opened in 1965. Learn more at oaklandcc.edu.
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