Christmas drive underway for kids in foster care

The Lawrence County Department Children Services’ second annual Christmas drive is underway to help make the holiday better for children in their care.

Around the county are Christmas trees with tags of what the children want.

“That is to provide Christmas joy to the children that are in our custody and others we are involved with,” said Lawrence County J&FS director Jamie Murphy. “It is our opportunity to bring love and joy to children during this wonderful time of the year. You know as well as I do that there is nothing more magical than seeing the happiness of children at Christmas time.”

Murphy said there are currently about 75 Lawrence County children in foster care.

The trees are located at the Chamber of Commerce in South Point, Advance America located in the Ironton Hills Plaza, Ohio University Ironton Campus and the Briggs Lawrence County Public libraries in South Point, Ironton, Chesapeake, Proctorville and Symmes Valley. Each tag has a list of gifts the child would like, as well clothing requests and sizes.

“We want our children to know they are loved and supported,” Murphy said. “And I think with our community’s support and generosity, the children will have a merrier, brighter Christmas.”

The gifts can be dropped off on Monday at the same location the tags were picked up or at the J&FS office at 1100 S. Seventh St., Ironton.

Once all the gifts are gathered, Murphy said that the workers and community partners will be spending an entire week wrapping the presents. They will also be using a meeting of the county’s Whole Child program as a wrapping party.

“The Whole Child program is an initiative by the county commissioners and headed up by DeAnna Holliday. We are meeting that week and we changed the location to our agency, so that we can wrap as we hold the meeting,” Murphy said. “It is all for the children, it is all hand-in-hand so we are going to make the most of the meeting.”

Murphy said Christmas is her favorite time of year and “loves seeing children happy. That is the way it is supposed to be.”

Anyone with questions can contact Missy Evans at missy.evans@jfs.ohio.gov or 740-532-3324 ext. 6323.