An Easy Way to Give Back this Christmas

One of my favorite bloggers posted a great way to reach out to the street kids of Seattle this Christmas. 


http://www.onethankfulmom.com/the-daily/be-that-mom/

Quoted from her blog:

"Send a Christmas card to a street kid that will be tucked into a backpack of supplies and passed out this month. If you have the time and resources, you can include a McDonalds gift card (even $5.00 will feed a teen)"


"Some Stats:

1. There are an estimated 150 million (unicef number) of children in the world who live and work on the streets….For a description and lots more information you can check out untilthen.org
2. There are over 1300 children (under 21) who live on the streets of Seattle and at least that many in Portland.
3. Domestic street kids are frequently refugees from the foster care system. Many of these kids have been through 10-20 foster care placements before giving up on the system and running away to live alone on the street.  Frequently these are kids who were taken out of their homes because of abuse and/or neglect situations. Some kids go directly from abusive homes to the street, skipping the system entirely.
4. Studies have shown that within 48 hours a kid on the street is approached by a pimp or someone trying to lure them into the commercial sex trade.  Many kids end up trading sex for shelter, food and survival.  Many become addicted to drugs and alcohol as a means of coping with the treacherous life of the streets.
5. Kids band together in groups of like-minded kids, creating their own “family units” that they fiercely defend and protect. This is their only protection against the harsh life and conditions of the street. Kids know they need a family….they just haven’t had the good fortune of being born into a family that wanted them or could care for them.

If you would like to send a card, please mail it to:

Overlake Christian Church
Be That Mom
9900 Willows RD NE
Redmond, WA 98052

   It would be best if you put the card in its envelope and then tuck the whole thing into an additional envelope to mail to Overlake Christian Church. We do not want your return address on the card that is tucked in the backpack. Thank you for considering this simple mom-gesture that might encourage a young person who has no family to send them a Christmas greeting."