Kids asking Santa for basic items

[PridesnotPower]

Kids write Santa this year for basic needs instead of toys - USATODAY.com

This is very sad. It seems a lot of children are asking "Santa" for basic items instead of toys. The poor economy is not hurting me, things are tighter around here because I enrolled in College. I hope everyone who is able and willing gives to a child in need this Christmas. Every child should have the basics like warm clothing and a place to live.

[Jen1]

That is so incrediblly sad. My work just got done a 'mitten tree' where we put up A Christmas Tree in the main cafe and other key locations and staff & vistors put GLOVES/hats/scaves etc on them. It's a tradition they started years ago and I've been on committee a couple years now. The other day we collected a full bag sized (like 30 gallons!) and filled it to the top. We take them to a local underprivildged neighborhood and the kids pick what they like. We also did this with school supplies in Sept. We also do coat drives for kids/adults as well. I hope they are able to get these needs met. It breaks my heart though that these kids are asking for such neccessities rather then toys.

[Chrissykin]

We adopted a family and I wish we could have done gotten more families. It breaks my heart.

My mom adopted a child off an Angel tree and when she delivered her things she said there were still a bunch of kids not adopted. She felt so bad she adopted another one and wished she could have done more.

[sbp]

DH and I help out with the distributing of toys in this area for Toys for Tots.... well we actually do more with picking them up from the collection points then we do distributing them to the families, if you want to get technical.... but some of the letters that have come in just break your heart.

One family asked for 4) Snuggies, because they don't have warm pajamas and the Snuggies would help them stay warm at home. :(

[queenofthehivemomof5]

It's so heart breaking and I cannot help feeling guilty that my kids are getting toys and Wii games when other kids just want socks. I told my husband that I wish I could just not do Christmas this year, but my kids are looking forward to it too. We have done 4 angel trees for various organizations this year, send money to my friend who is having a rough time, donating to the HHH Holiday drive here at HCW and DH just went and picked up some potatoes, flour and sugar to take into the food bank as they needed them for holiday meal baskets. This economy sucks for so many people and I shudder to think that it is probably going to get worse before it gets better. I count my blessings everyday.

[CW&M Mom]

Yup we just had an article out in the Kansas City star....where teachers were noticing that on the kids "Christmas list" was food. Missouri is the 5th food instability state (not sure if that is the exact table).

I'll see if I can find the link to the chart. It had every state on it.

[CW&M Mom]

15% of American Families Face Hunger, "Food Insecurity"

[everprincess]

So sad. I'm sooo thankful we have sooo much. Not rich money wise but rich in basic wise.

[Nishu]

It's terribly sad. We donate to the food bank when we can and we usually do the angel tree but it's frustrating that we only have so much to give. If nothing else, hearing these stories has been a good reminder to keep my spending in check for my own kids' Christmas. They've already got more toys than they can use and I don't even buy them that much.

We're going to have all of our debt paid off when my husband gets his bonus next year and I'm looking forward to giving with abandon, at least around the holidays.

[kschick96]

I once had an employee of mine ask if I would adopt a specific angel off his wife's bank (she worked there) angel tree. It was a 9 year old boy who was asking for things like a toothbrush, soap, shampoo, etc. I got him all of his wants plus several fun things too, because the only thing under the Christmas tree for a kid should not be basic supplies. I was happy I could do it for him.