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.

Join OAR for Project Christmas Angel this December!

                         

The holiday season is just around the corner which means it is almost time for OAR’s Project Christmas Angel Wrapping Party!

Held for over 20 years, Project Christmas Angel is one of OAR’s largest events of the year. On behalf of the community, we collect and wrap holiday gifts for children of incarcerated and recently released parents donated to us through our annual Toy Drive. OAR’s annual Toy Drive and Project Christmas Angel were created to provide another way for those involved in the criminal justice system to connect with their children over the holidays, as these relationships are often strained and challenged during and after incarceration.

It is so important to us that family relationships are maintained while a parent is incarcerated and after their release, and that no child is forgotten during the holidays. We ask that you – members and organizations of the community – also keep these children in mind as the holiday season approaches and get involved in this amazing event! Each child participating in this program will receive three holiday gifts along with a handwritten gift tag from their parent to remind them that even though they are not able to physically spend the holidays together, they are always keeping them in mind.

Thank you so much to everyone who has signed up for the Wrapping Party event! The RSVP for this event is now FULL!

How you can support:

  • Donate gifts! We will be collecting donations of gifts for children ages 0-18 until December 10, 2018. You can donate gifts via our Amazon Wish List, drop off donations to the OAR office (1400 N. Uhle St, Arlington, VA 22201), or visit any one of our donation box host sites (you can find the list of donation sites here).
  • Donate gift cards! We are in need of gift cards to give to teens. Denominations of $20-$25 to places like Target and Amazon are most needed!
  • Make a financial contribution! You can make financial contributions towards Project Christmas Angel online on our website here. Your donations will go towards purchasing items such as wrapping supplies and postage to mail gifts to children that live outside of the DC area. Be sure to specify on the “Message or Comments” line that you’d like your donation to go towards Project Christmas Angel!
  • Volunteer at the Wrapping Party! Volunteer to wrap and/or deliver gifts at the Project Christmas Angel Wrapping Party on December 12, 2018. If you are interested in volunteering at the Wrapping Party, RSVP here.
  • Become a sponsor! If you are interested in sponsoring the Wrapping Party event, please contact Heather Pritchett at hpritchett@oaronline.org.

Thank you in advance for your interest in and support for Project Christmas Angel! Together, we can make it our mission to bring warm smiles and holiday cheer to children of incarcerated parents and strengthen these relationships.