Making Christmas just a little brighter… TLC Center set to give away food and toys Thursday
Published 11:52 pm Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Photo Contributed The TLC Community Center will be having its big Christmas GIveaway on Thursday.
Photo Contributed Gifts ready and waiting for boys who show up Thursday at the TLC Center for their 21st Annual Christmas Giveaway.
Photo Contributed A room full of toys await girls who come by the TLC Community Center's Big Christmas Giveaway on Thursday,
Photo Contributed !,000 bundes of love will be given out to children who are present to pick up their toys at the TLC Community Center.
Photo Contributed Over 1,400 bags of food have been prepared for giveaway to anyone without registration required. The bags weigh 31 pounds not counting meat and other fresh items that will be available.
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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR STAFF
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com
Struggling families have the opportunity to make Christmas a little more joyous Thursday thanks to the TLC Center in Elizabethton.
The center will be hosting its 21st annual Big Christmas Community Giveaway and has made available more than 1,400 bags of food.
“We have it for anyone to come and get food,” said center director Angie Odum. “The families with children, they can get toys from Santa outside by curbside presented by Santa who will be sharing the real meaning of Christmas with them.
“We have over 1,400 food bags plus pallets of food and we have over 1,000 bags of love, and toys for the children.”
The bags weigh 31 pounds without the meat and extra fresh products that will be available.
Located at 145 Judge Don Lewis Blvd., Suites 5, 6, and 7 in Elizabethton, the center will also be honoring two of their clients with a “special” Christmas surprise prior to the giveaway.
The food bags and toys will be given away from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is no sign-up required for food, bundles of love, or toy pick up.
“I wanted to do it in the afternoon where the kids that are being picked up at kindergarten can come on,” said Odum. “There is no age cutoff for kids and anybody can come for food, whether they have children or not. The kids must be present to receive toys however.”
Odum also said the center does its own Angel Tree and this year they were able to take care of 57 angels from the tree with those selected coming from the most needy of circumstances.
Everything is put in a big black bag so the children can’t see what’s inside when the parents pick those up.
The director said this time is one of “my favorite times of the year.”
“I miss the day when we had it inside and served them hot food, but we are still happy to be able to help out,” Odum said. “A lot of church groups have come to help us get everything together which we really appreciate.
“We want to send a special ‘Thank You’ to the Dollar General in Stoney Creek, Sunnyside Baptist Church in Kingsport, and the First Church of God in Elizabethton.”
