The Community Sharing Project is a volunteer effort to benefit needy families in Dorset, Pawlet, Danby, Rupert, and Wells, Vermont.  You may have seen their holiday clothing drive in a local store if you live in my small part of New England:  small Christmas trees covered with “ornaments” consisting of angel silhouettes cut from red and green construction paper.  They hang on the tree from white yarn loops, and on each one is an identifying family number, the age of a child, boy or girl, and an item of needed clothing (Family #28, Boy, age 7, pants in size 14).  No name, the recipient and the donor are completely anonymous.  You pick an “angel” or several off of the tree, purchase the items, and return them by mid-December with the angel label attached so that they may be distributed to the selected families.  The Project also runs a toy drive, so that each child in their recipient families receives two toys, and distribute a basket of food to each family for the holiday.

The clothing drive is over for this year, but the Community Sharing Project is currently accepting unwrapped toys through December 19 at the United Church of Dorset.  They also accept donations:  Community Sharing Project, c/o United Church of Dorset, P.O. Box 263, Dorset, VT 05251.    The Church web site gives an overview of the project, and a contact for any questions, which I link to because it was hard to find much information on my initial Google search.

This year, I picked a few angels off the tree for one family, and bought a seven-year old boy two pairs of pants, a fleece jacket, 8 pairs of socks and underwear.  I hope he wears them in good health,  I hope that he stays warm, and I hope he likes what I picked out for him.  I wish that we lived in a world, or even a country, where all children are secure, warm, healthy, and well-fed.