BY BRITTANI CRAMER-JONES
The holidays are always a special time to engage in family activities. It’s the time of year to pick pumpkins at the local pumpkin patch, eat too much food while watching football and planning your holiday shopping. It’s the time curl up in your living room, Christmas tree glowing in the background, and watch holiday movies that remind us of what’s important in life. To quote the Grinch’s infamous words of wisdom, “Maybe Christmas, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps … means a little bit more.”
Right now, in Iredell County, there are around 130 children who have no choice over something most of us, thankfully, consider fundamental: whether they live with their parents. There is nothing material to mitigate the loss of family, particularly during the holidays. But I have witnessed and been a part of the great efforts made by the foster care staff and this community to provide these children with a sense of normalcy and make sure they know they are cared about. The Lonely Children’s Fund helps provide children in foster care with normalcy through activities, clothing, gifts and school functions.
The Lonely Children’s Fund has assisted over the years with yearbooks, tutoring, prom dresses, summer camp, and extracurricular activities fees. The Lonely Children’s Fund has also been a blessing in assisting some relatives in being able to care for these children by providing things — sometimes as simple as a dresser or crib. It also helps us to ensure that every child in foster care in Iredell County has gifts to open on Christmas.
With the needs of our community growing every year, the Iredell County Department of Social Services is so thankful for the citizens of Iredell County and their donations to the Lonely Children’s Fund. It is with your donations that we are able to meet any unmet needs for our children in foster care.
The Lonely Children’s Fund is a very worthy cause if you’re looking to give in this holiday season, or anytime throughout the year. The difference these little things make on the children and families we serve are truly priceless.
Please take time to donate to the Lonely Children’s Fund and make a difference in the lives of the children in foster care in Iredell County. The Lonely Children’s Fund goal for the 2025-2026 holiday season is $30,000. We are hopeful that the community will overflow this fund with their donations, as these children deserve the very best. Every contribution, no matter the size, gives a young person in foster care the support they need to thrive.
HOW TO GIVE
Please send checks and money orders payable to:
Lonely Children’s Fund
Attention: Iredell County DSS
549 Eastside Drive
Statesville, NC 28625
Brittani Cramer-Jones is a Foster Care Social Worker for the Iredell County Department of Social Services.