A Coalition for Cass County Foster Youth in Need’s mission is to raise  funds to support the annual holiday party by providing a gift to every foster child. There could be 150 youth this year.
To be equitable for all foster youth, the idea is to allocate up to $20 per youth for a gift.
These gifts will be bought for specific age groups and gender. This will allow all 8-year-old boys to get the same gift (different colors/style).
“Operation: Secret Santa” will also provide funding for the tableware, pizza, lemonade, fruit punch and cookies for the evening festivities.
Miscellaneous supplies for the winter carnival games and crafts may also be purchased.
Donations of supplies, food and monetary donations are being sought.
On the day after Thanksgiving, brave Secret Santa elves will make their way into stores to purchase the age/gender appropriate gifts.
Another wave of Secret Santa elves will be hosting “wrapping” parties to make the gifts festive.
Committee members include Kristen Williams, Department of Human Services; Amy Anderson, Educational Talent Search at Southwestern Michigan College; Tom Atkinson, Dowagiac Public Safety; MaKenzie Kreiner, Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Council on Aging; Tanda Stiffler, Edwardsburg Lions Club and Presbyterian Church; Scott Wyman, Cass County Parks and Recreation; and Phillip Esarey, Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Knights of Columbus.