CHAP: Community Holiday Assistance Program of Eastern Pender County
The Community Holiday Assistance Program (CHAP) has spent the last 37 years uniting civic and faith-based organizations in an effort to serve families in need throughout Eastern Pender County. Together in service and charity, CHAP helps bring a community of donors and volunteers together to fulfill their mission of sharing the love of Christ during the holiday season. Each year, the program has been steadily expanding its reach in direct response to the growing needs in our community.
In 2023, CHAP provided assistance during the Thanksgiving and Christmas season to 433 households, which represented more than 800 adults and 700 children.
There are typically as many as
40 CHAP member organizations that help to gather donations in the form of grocery store gift cards, new toys, bikes, helmets and retail store gift cards.
CHAP volunteers then distribute these gifts in a way that brings the love of neighbor to life in a personal and transformative way.
This year
CHAP
continues their long-standing tradition of working with public school counselors and local food pantries, such as
Share the Table and
4Cs Food Pantry, to receive referrals for families in need of assistance. These partnerships have been instrumental in building cohesion among community minded organizations while also helping schools to identify at-risk children who may benefit from additional resources throughout the year.
HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP!
As the county population continues to rise, the number of families in need is expected to increase. To help fulfill the growing needs of the community,
CHAP is always seeking to partner with new individuals, businesses and organizations to help provide the donations and volunteers we need to provide the assistance detailed below.
Help Provide Thanksgiving Assistance
On November 23rd, CHAP will distribute Thanksgiving meal kits, complete with a pre-cooked turkey and all the fixings for a holiday meal, into the cars of hundreds of households so families can enjoy a meal in the comfort of their own homes. We are seeking donations of Harris Teeter gift cards in any denomination and volunteers to help with distribution. Email chap@allsaintsccnc.org for details.
Help Provide Christmas Assistance
On December 14th, each recipient household will receive grocery store gift cards that can be used to purchase items for their Christmas dinner. Additionally, families are invited to a special Holiday Shop, set up by CHAP volunteers, where they are able to select gifts for each of their children under the age of 18.
On December 14th, each recipient household will receive grocery store gift cards that can be used to purchase items for their Christmas dinner. Additionally, families are invited to a special Holiday Shop, set up by CHAP volunteers, where they are able to select gifts for each of their children under the age of 18. Both business and community members are encouraged to purchase grocery store gift cards and collect new unwrapped toys, bikes and retail store gift cards for the CHAP Holiday Shop.
Donation Drop-off sites:
Donations may be delivered to most of the CHAP Member Organizations listed below, with the exception of Harris Teeter and the Pender County Schools. You may also deliver donations to:
December 12th and 13th between the hours of 9:30AM to 3:30PM
- Blakes Chapel, 88 Blakes Chapel Rd.
If you'd like your Pender County business to be a donation drop-off site, please contact CHAP at
chap@allsaintsccnc.org.
Gift Suggestions to Donate to CHAP:
- bicycles and helmets
- scooters/kickboards
- tablets and laptops
- sports equipment and gear
- building sets such as Lego
- remote control vehicles with batteries
- board games
- doll houses
- playsets
- musical instruments
- arts and craft sets
- teen-focused gifts (and gift cards for clothing, movies, music, food, sports stores; mark the amount on it)
NEED ASSISTANCE? CHAP Service Area: Sneads Ferry, Holly Ridge, Topsail Island, Hampstead, Rocky Point, and Scotts Hill
Applications will be accepted through Nov. 18, 2024 at the following locations:
- Any Eastern Pender County school guidance office (start by contacting your child's school guidance counselor directly)
- Share the Table Food Pantry
- 4Cs Food Pantry
2024 Thanksgiving Distribution scheduled for November 23rd:
- Every approved recipient household will be eligible to pick up a Thanksgiving meal kit complete with a precooked turkey and side dishes.
- Distribution of the meal kits will be November 23rd only, so please mark your calendar and secure time off of work if necessary.
- Eligible households will receive details regarding pickup location and time several days in advance.
2024 Christmas Distribution scheduled for December 14th:
- Every approved recipient household will receive a grocery gift card that can be used to purchase items for Christmas dinner. Additionally, families are invited to a special Holiday Shop, set up by CHAP volunteers, where they are able to select free gifts for each of their children, from infants through 12th grade.
- Christmas meal and gift distributions will be on December 14th only, so please mark your calendar and secure time off of work if necessary.
- Eligible households will receive details regarding pickup locations and scheduled appointment times in advance. Sorry, no drop-ins will be allowed.
For more information email: chap@allsaintsccnc.org
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF OUR GROWING COMMUNITY!
The CHAP LEADERSHIP TEAM:
Julie Burgess, Beth Mongeau, Jeanne Peek, Alicia Ruginis, Christine Vara (All Saints parishioners)
