The Charleston Gazette - Christmas Charities

Gazette readers donate more than $80K to local agencies

(Staff reports) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:38:07 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Because of generous Gazette readers, the Gazette Charities Christmas Fund was able to distribute $81,000 this season. That means dozens and dozens of deserving families and individuals in our area will get the help they need t...

Readers donate almost $80,000 to Gazette Chrismas Fund

(Staff reports) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:01:12 -0500

On behalf of everyone helped by donations to this years Gazette Charities Christmas Fund -- thank you. More than $8,600 in donations received this week put the fund very close to its goal of about $80,000. And last-minute donations are always we...

Gazette Christmas Charities: Fund closing in on goal, but help is still needed

(Staff reports) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 21:22:51 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Gazette Charities Christmas Fund is close to reaching its goal for the year. But it will take a few more donations from generous readers to assure that the local charity groups supported by the f...

Gazette Christmas charities: Readers support totals $71K after fourth week

(Staff reports) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:53:02 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Christmas is just a couple of days away, but that doesnt mean the end of the opportunity to donate to this years Gazette Charities Christmas Fund drive. This week, Gazette readers continued to show their generosity by donating $18...

Gazette Charities: Mountain Mission provides relief during emergencies

(Kate White) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Even at age 95, the man had love on his mind as he trudged on foot to the Mountain Mission, a crumpled disconnect notice from the gas company clutched in his fingers. He wasnt lamenting the formidable hike; indeed, he wasnt thinking...

Gazette Christmas Charities: Covenant House makes sure Charleston family has a home for the holidays

(Travis Crum) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:09:31 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Chelsea worked hard her entire adult life to put food on the table and provide a stable home for her family. She was devastated after a recent divorce cut her income in half, leaving her unable to afford housing for her and her...

Christmas Fund: Help single mom

(Travis Crum) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Dianne held on to her three young children as she began to cry. She had brought her family to Covenant House in hopes of a warm shower, but she arrived too late -- the organization had already closed for the day. Thats when a c...

Gazette Christmas Charities: Suddenly homeless teen finds hope at Daymark

Zachary.Taylor@wvgazette.com (Zac Taylor) — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:25:51 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Morgan was 16 years old when her mother, gripped with a drug addiction, moved to Florida. Her mother left Morgan with a family friend, who took good care of the teen for a year until a disability left her jobless. Morgan was sudd...

Christmas Fund wishing for another big week of giving

(Staff reports) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:51:32 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Giving has gotten stronger with each week of this years Gazette Charities Christmas Fund drive. Generous Gazette readers contributed more than $24,000 this week -- the third week of the fund drive -- bringing the grand total t...

Christmas Fund: Patchwork shelter helps children in need

Zachary.Taylor@wvgazette.com (Zac Taylor) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:30:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A police officer dropped David off at the Patchwork runaway youth shelter after receiving several complaints that the boy had been living with an abusive mother. After he had dinner at the shelter, David asked for a first-aid ki...

Jericho House specializes in kindness

(Staff reports) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:27:32 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Sometimes it takes only a little bit of kindness to get a person back on their feet again. Jericho House specializes in that type of kindness. For instance, Manager Freda Cutlip recalls a snowy, late November day when she heard a...

Gazette Christmas Charities: Feeding the hungry, no questions asked

balow@wvgazette.com (Jim Balow) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Jeremiah, disabled, living on fixed income with just enough money to pay his rent and utilities, cant buy enough food for three meals a day. Janie, mentally ill and unable to hold a job, lives on the streets. She takes drugs to n...

Christmas Charities: Single mother needs warm clothes for daughter

amy.harris@wvgazette (Amy Julia Harris) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 17:17:08 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Vivian, a struggling single mother, is worried she wont be able to give her 6-year-old daughter, Edith, warm clothes this winter. Vivian works at a convenience store making minimum wage. She lost her car about six ...

Readers donate over $28K to local charities

(Staff reports) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:52:17 -0500

Gazette readers are really coming through for the needy in the Kanawha Valley this year. After a second week of giving, the Gazette Charities Christmas Fund has raised more than $28,000. Our goal this year is to exceed last years total of more than $8...

Christmas Fund: Help single mother keep her kids fed

amy.harris@wvgazette (Amy Julia Harris) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Lily, a young single mother, is worried about keeping her three children warm and fed this Christmas. Lily lives in a small, one-bedroom house with no stove and minimal amenities and can only afford to feed her children unhealth...

Gazette Charities: Cancer takes toll on womans finances, not her spirit

(Megan Workman) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:12:55 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Although Victorias immune system is suffering, she cannot afford to quit her job. Diagnosed with Stage 3 uterine cancer in July, she has since then undergone an emergency hysterectomy, had surgery to remove her lymph nodes and...

Gazette Charities: Father having trouble making ends meet for son

(Megan Workman) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Salvation Army recently helped Alex prevent his homes electricity and water from being turned off, but he still isnt able to pay the $476.80 gas bill so he and his son can be warm. The single parent struggles to meet the demands o...

Gazette Charities: Blind woman worries about staying warm

kathryng@wvgazette.com (Kathryn Gregory) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:58:46 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Frances is not sure how she is going to stay warm this winter.
The 52-year-old is blind, lives in a small trailer and uses her electric stove to help heat her home. Several years ago, she looked into having her broken furnace...

Readers donate more than $8,600 in first week of fund drive

(Staff reports) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Its been a strong week of giving for the Gazette Charities Christmas Fund. More than 55 generous donors have put the first weeks total at $8,663. Thats more than $700 ahead of last year. But we still have a long way to go to rea...

Gazette Charities: Crib recalls make giving hard for Heart and Hand

kathryng@wvgazette.com (Kathryn Gregory) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:00:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Marlene has always dreamed of having a baby boy, but with limited income, she has not been able to afford a safe place for the new baby to sleep. Marlene worked hard to gather supplies for Wyatt before he was born at the beginnin...

Gazette Charities: Veterans family struggles after his unexpected death

lori.kersey@wvgazette.com (Lori Kersey) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A stay-at-home mother until her veteran husband died unexpectedly, Jenny is now struggling to raise two school-age boys alone. The family depended on her husband Pauls salary, and after his death she and the boys are dependen...

Gazette Charities: Physical condition keeps father from working

lori.kersey@wvgazette.com (Lori Kersey) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A father of two teenage boys, Billy worked hard to provide for his family until a physical condition caused him to stop working earlier this year. When his employer recommended it, Billy underwent a medical procedure to improve hi...

Gazette Charities: Homeless veteran fighting disease

rustymarks@wvgazette.com (Rusty Marks) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:49:34 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Joe is a veteran who proudly served his country. But after his girlfriend of 10 years passed away, Joe lost his home. He turned to the Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center, a local charitable organization that provides emergency ...

Gazette Charities: Roark-Sullivan Center saves womans life

rustymarks@wvgazette.com (Rusty Marks) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 21:30:00 -0500

Annie might be dead today if it werent for the Roark-Sullivan Lifeway Center. The woman was sleeping on the streets of Charleston when she first came to the center, which provides emergency shelter and support for the homeless on their journey to ...

Gazette Charities announces annual fund drive

robbyers@wvgazette.com (Robert J. Byers) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 23:45:00 -0500

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As you gather today for your holiday meal, please consider those that are doing without. As the Christmas season begins in earnest with Fridays shopping extravaganza, please consider those who are looking ahea...