A Message from OAR’s Executive Director
My heart breaks when I read letters like this one from Angela. I want to share it with you because her words convey far more than mine ever could. The support that you provide to individuals like Angela through your support of OAR impacts families more than you can know. Without you, children like Angela’s may not get the chance to feel connected to their parent this holiday season. It is a sad reality that there are over 5 million children in the United States who have had a parent incarcerated. Those children, to no fault of their own, must face sadness and loneliness while their parent is away. Additionally, children affected by parental incarceration are also far more likely to live in poverty and become involved with the criminal justice system themselves. But there is good news…
You have the chance to shine light into the lives of these children. You can help parents to send holiday gifts to their children through Project Christmas Angel. The goal is to provide each child with three gifts with a handwritten gift tag from their parent attached. When the child receives the gift and sees their parent’s handwriting and reads their words, the family is brought together again, even if only in spirit. YOU can make this happen!
Last year, thanks to supporters like you, nearly 400 boys and girls received gifts, and we believe this number will grow this year. To provide for all the children in the program this year and to continue supporting OAR’s other programs, we need to raise $10,000 between now and the end of December. This is no small goal, but you can help us reach it. This funding helps to purchase supplies and materials for gift wrapping, postage for delivery of items to children who don’t live nearby, and for general operating funds of this and other programs. If just 40 people each give $250, we will meet the goal. Would you consider contributing $250, or whatever you feel you can give?
If you have already sent in your donation, we thank you. If you haven’t yet, there is still time. You can click here to give online on our website. You can also opt to give a monthly gift to OAR which will help people like Angela year-round. I cannot imagine a better gift this holiday season.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Jones Valderrama, MA, CVA
Executive Director
P.S. More than 400 boys and girls in our community unfairly impacted by incarceration depend on your generosity. Please donate $250 or whatever amount you can give today.