‘Helping Hands Angels’ challenges Carson City businesses to adopt local families for holidays
Over 12 years ago, Denise DiMarzo recognized that the holidays aren’t always a joyous occasion for every family. While working as an office manager for a local elementary school in Carson City and speaking with children every day, DiMarzo realized that that many families struggled to get through the holidays.
“I would hear first hand from many children that Santa did not come to their homes and that they had very little to eat during the holidays,” said DiMarzo. “These conversations made me think of how blessed I have been in my life and (made me want) to do something, so I started Helping Hands Angels.”
Helping Hands Angels is a program that encourages local businesses and community members to “adopt” struggling families during the holiday season. The focus is on the children, providing gifts and toys along with necessities.
Adopters will either provide the gifts and toys themselves, or will provide funds so the “angels” can cook a wholesome Christmas ham dinner.
“I began reaching out to organizations and businesses in town and realized very quickly that there are many very generous and giving people in our community,” said DiMarzo. “Over the years, my program has grown to include over 100 entities to help me make this possible.”
The program has expended citywide within the last few years, said DiMarzo, with the help of school counselors and school social workers. Together, they are able to identify families who are struggling throughout the city.
“This year, we are able to provide 130 family meals and also be sure 375 children have presents under the tree come Christmas morning.”
So far, local businesses have adopted a majority of the children, including: Carson Tahoe Hospital, CASA, Carson City Orthodontics, Benson's Feed, Carson City Democrats, Eagle Valley Children's Home, High Desert Hair, Lone Mountain Vet, Lone Mountain Dental, Tahoe Fracture, and many more. The list of donators is well over 80 and this year's adopter list has been fulfilled, she said.
Thanks to DiMarzo and her ‘Angels,’ several children in Carson City will no longer have to wonder why Santa visited their classmates, but decided to skip their own household, and that in itself is what the holidays are all about: the spirit of giving.
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