Share Your Holiday with Families in Need

For many of us, the holidays slow everything down. They bring time with family, a fire in the fireplace, laughter, and festive music on the radio. We trade presents, recipes, and stories over hot chocolate.  

But for some, the holidays can be expensive and time-consuming. When resources are limited, this can be a lot to manage.

But for Adrienne Clark, the holidays bring something entirely different. Adrienne runs a program called Share Your Holiday at the Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center (TNVLC). The TNVLC is a nonprofit organization that coordinates crucial programs to support the most vulnerable in our community through a partnership with the Durham Department of Social Services (DSS).  The DSS social workers refer the families and their wish list and TNVLC matches them with a sponsor that provides holiday gifts.

The program began in 1976 with a goal of serving 280 families with new gifts and food. This year, Share Your Holiday provided assistance to almost 1,200 families, which equates to almost 4,000 people.

Share your Holiday at Blue Cross and Blue Shield NC

Share your Holiday is one of our favorite traditions at Blue Cross NC. This year we sponsored over 100 families and children state-wide, dozens of whom came from the TNVLC program.

As a new employee, I could not believe the excitement. Upon learning that there were children in our communities who would not experience the excitement of finding presents under a tree, our employees answered the call. Our offices were full of games and dolls, toy cars and basketball, and lots and lots of bikes!

One story that particularly moved me was about an older woman who was nervous to tell Adrienne what she wanted because she thought it was too expensive. She finally revealed that all she and her family needed for the Holidays was a dining room furniture set so that they could have dinner each night and talk about their days. When delivery day came, she got her dining room furniture. I have the best time imagining the meals and stories that family will share this Holiday season around their own table!

Blue Cross NC Partnerships

At Blue Cross NC, we are proud to consistently partner with organizations who are committed to the health and well-being of our state. This is a complex vision made up of lots of details, counties, families, and individuals.

That is why partnerships are so important to us. We cannot be the expert on every challenge facing families in North Carolina. However, we are fortunate to work in a state with hundreds of organizations who specialize in different aspects of creating a healthier North Carolina. The TNVLC is serving families in our communities who might not have the opportunity to enjoy this holiday season without their help, and during each holiday season we come alongside them and learn more about serving our local community. We cannot thank them enough for their work and allowing us to be a part of it each year!

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