Volunteers distributing Christmas gift boxes to eligible Robeson County residents.
Juanita Chavis
Crowd gathered in front of the fairgrounds barn building in preparation for box distribution.
Juanita Chavis
Volunteers helpinng move gift boxes and other items to the recipient’s car.
Juanita Chavis
LUMBERTON 一 A local non-profit organization is hosting a Christmas gift box event for Robeson County residents aged 62 and up.
When former NC House Representative Charles Graham and current NC House Representative Garland Pierce began the Sharing & Caring program in 2009, it did not resemble what it has become whatsoever.
“It was not a non-profit; it was just an idea,” Graham said. “We started this on the premise that our elected officials can give back to the community.”
The data from the 2009 census, which showed that 18% of Robeson County’s 62-and-up population live at or below the poverty line, inspired the Christmas boxes.
“We knew we had constituents in this county that were poor,” Graham said. “This was a way to do some outreach and show them we appreciated them. As elected officials, we wanted them to be recognized.”
Each box contained enough food to make at least one full meal for a household or several meals for an individual and several useful items they may need around their house. That first year, approximately 150 households received a box, according to executive board member Juanita Chavis.
Since then, Graham established the program as a 501 c3 organization, allowing for much larger events and significantly more contributors. The amount of boxes the organization could give as gifts also saw a drastic increase. “The goal is always to meet the needs of at least 500 different households,” Graham said, “and we hope, one day, to increase that number.”
The Sharing & Caring Event will be located in the Robeson County Fairgrounds on Dec. 7, beginning at 9 a.m. One box per household will be distributed, and the individual receiving the box must be 62 years of age or older.
For more information or details on how to donate to the fund, please call Juanita Chavis at 910-374-8170.
Contact Victoria Sanderson at Vsanderson@robesonian.com.
