Hope Center clients go Christmas shopping at annual holiday party

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – The Hope Center is making sure every family gets to experience the joys of the holidays.

They held their annual client holiday party on Tuesday.

The Hope Center provides emergency shelter, food, and clothing 365 days a year, so the holidays are no exception.

“It’s just amazing,” said Hope Center client Jacqueline Norris.

The Hope Center’s annual holiday party is often filled with gratitude and emotion.

“I really don’t have words to say for it, but it’s amazing,” said Norris.

Norris said she’s been at the Hope Center since June.

“As I’ve been there, I’ve built my support up and it’s just became a family. During addiction or things we have struggles with, we tend to lose touch with those things.”

Norris was one of the many clients who got to do some Christmas shopping at the party.

“I picked out a pair of shoes, Carhartt shoes, and I picked out something for my daughter.”

“A lot of them express their gratitude because they were able to give a gift,” said Erica Corde with the Hope Center. “Normally, they wouldn’t have been able to and then some talk about when they were out there using that they didn’t even think about Christmas.”

“While we’re in the program, we don’t have time to work or do anything for ourselves, so it’s really nice that people actually put this together for us. It’s heartwarming,” said Norris.

Corde said that while the holidays are a time of joy, they can be very difficult for some.

“There are some that don’t have family because they’ve burned all their bridges, or the family may live far away or they don’t have contact for them, so it can be kind of depressing for some.”

The holiday party, Corde said, can put a smile on their faces to know that they are thought about and loved.

“We want them to be better than when they came in. It starts with, you know, showing gratitude.”

The holiday party also included food, music and gift wrapping.

The Hope Center said it wouldn’t have been possible without The Ditto Group, Kentucky American Water, Second Presbyterian Church and Dean Dorton who helped gather the gifts.

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