Basic Skills and TRIO Families Receive Special Christmas Gifts
Published: December 17, 2018
113 children were served thanks to donations from the college and J&M Auction.
JCC's basic skills staff and J&M Auction in Smithfield brought lots of smiles to faces and joy in hearts this week when they handed out toys, blankets and coats for Christmas to 113 children of students in the program.
This is the fifth year the program has conducted the toy and coat drive, which assisted 53 families of basic skills and TRIO students at JCC.
They also filled 12 shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse and donated 42 stuffed animals to the Smithfield Police Department. The stuffed animals are used by officers to comfort children when responding to calls where children are involved.
The toys and coats are collected all year by patrons of J&M Auction on Brightleaf Boulevard in Smithfield and college employees.
“This is such a wonderful event every year for students in our program,” said Jessica Rieger, department chair of academic and career readiness programs at JCC. “It is so rewarding to see their faces light up and hear their appreciation when they receive these gifts. We are so grateful to Michelle and Jimmy Jones, all the staff at J&M auction, and the college employees who donated gifts to make Christmas special for these children.”
Cut line: Jessica Rieger, department chair of academic and career readiness programs at JCC, is pictured with a student receiving gifts for her children.