December 13, 2024 • 29 mins
People all ages, from children and families to older adults, in need of help living in southwest Virginia can turn to a charitable agency known as Mountain Empire Older Citizens for a variety of services. From care coordination for older adults to public transportation and from crisis intervention for children to employment programs, the MEOC located in Big Stone Gap offers resources to those parts of rural Virginia. This holiday season they could use your help. We're talking to April Hobson, a Forensic Interviewer with the Southwest Virginia Children's Advocacy Center and Coordinator for the Kinship Care Program.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to Virginia Focus. I'm Rebecca Hughes of the Virginia
News Network. People of all ages, from children and families
to older adults in need of help in living in
southwest Virginia can turn to a charitable agency known as
the Mountain Empire Older Citizens for a variety of services,
from care coordination for older adults to public transportation, and
(00:28):
from crisis intervention for children to employment programs. The NEOC,
located in Big Stone Gap, offers resources to those parts
of rural Virginia this holiday season. They could use your help.
All right, Ms Hobson, Welcome to the show. I'm so
glad you could be with us today. I know we
got a lot to talk about, but I want to
give you a chance first to kind of introduce yourself
(00:49):
to the audience and let them know what you do.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Hey, my name is Apail Hobson, and I am a
forensic interviewer and the King Care Coordinator at the South
with Virginia Children's Advocacy SANDAR a Big Stone Gap. I
do a little bit of everything. I do forensic interviews
for children who are there's out where there's allegations of abuse,
(01:19):
and I also work with caregivers who are raising the
child of a relative.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Okay, so it sounds like a very very important job.
I can imagine that forensic interviewing really can be hard
on you emotionally because that's hard to hear. But I'm
really glad that you're able to do that.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Why don't we.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Start by talking about the biggest reason I invite you
on the show today is my understanding that you guys
are offering people a chance to sponsor children for the holidays,
and there's quite a few that still need sponsors, right, yes,
So don't you tell me about that.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
What had started out was I've received an influx of
referrals in the past two to three months for my
support program for Kinship Care, and we always do a
little something for Christmas. So this business in Johnesil, Virginia,
(02:37):
which is one of our service areas. We served four counties,
and she offered to do an angel tree for me,
and she did fifty two of my children and that
left about thirty five of them and sponsored and I
(03:00):
had about a five hundred dollars budget to do this,
so it really really helped. So just anything helps, Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
So of fifty two children is what you said you
had total and you still have thirty five that needs sponsors.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Since since then, I still have probably about twenty that
needs sponsors.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Okay, And is this something that you've done before or
is this the first year doing this.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
This is actually the first year doing this. It's not
quite what I had imagined. Somebody had called and said,
I have a donation of X amount of dollars, which
was the five hundred dollars, can you know, can you
use it? And I said yes, And I thought, okay,
(03:52):
I can do something little for all the kids. And
that was my original plan. And then the very next day,
this young lady said, I'd like to do an angel
tree for you. And so she owns their skin Studios
in Johnsville, Virginia, and she did this angel tree and
(04:14):
it was actually a very good response for that for
the community because it's a very small community. And so
that's how the angel tree was born. That was never
ever my intent and it it just it just happened.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Yeah, that's the well, that's the way the best things happened.
You don't necessarily plan for them. So when you have
people sponsor a child, does it have to be a
business or can it be an individual.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It can be a business, it can be an individual.
Either way. We have we also have an Amazon list
that people can shop from just individual items, so it
doesn't even have to be anything big. It doesn't have
to be a big donation. We've had since people have
(05:10):
been finding out that we're doing sponsors of kids, people
have donated twenty dollars. They have donated larger amounts. Someone
purchased an agent was actually an agency purchased a large
amount of toys from the Amazon list for us to distribute. Yeah,
(05:34):
but there's still quite a few on there. And there
was a group I had seventeen children that requested bibles,
and there was a lady who took that request and
gathered all the money for those bibles and some.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Oh wow, that's already been met.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
So that need has already been met. Bibles have already
been ordered, and a few extra for birthday presents, graduation presents,
whatever may come up. If that is what that child requests,
I'll hold on to those.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Okay, So what's the age group of the children that
still need sponsors.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
We have children aged from I think the youngest is
four all the way to seventeen.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Wow, and do they kind of give you their wish list.
Is that how you came up with the Amazon list.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yeah. They we gave all the kids a wish list
so that way we kind of see their sizes, things
that were interested in, things that they would you would
like to have in case there were donations. That was
the thought behind the wish list is if there's donations,
(06:59):
we could meet whatever that child's need wish was with
the donation that we had.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Okay, and these kids, I mean, are they foster care kids,
are they somehow in the system or is this just
families that are in need in the community or a
little both.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Usually we because the kids that are in foster care
are usually well taken care of. So these are the
especially the kids with the King Care program. Those are
kids that are with relatives and those relatives are not
receiving any type of payment. The kids the referrals that
(07:41):
I had that were last minute, they received those kids
just on this further moment. They weren't expecting to have
those kids. Wow, that they took them in to keep
them out of the system, to keep them out of
face custody and things like that.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Wow, and that's for the best, right in your experience.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right, Children do better with people who are invested in them.
There's less trauma, there's less disruption and placement. Children do
better when they are with somebody who's invested and there's
just less disruption.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Okay, So I'll be honest with you, I'm not as
familiar with kinship Care. Can you kind of explain what
the organization, like, how it started and what you do
and and if anybody hears this and they're like, you know,
want to be supportive, how they can do.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
That Kinship Care? What I do is I provide support
to relative caregivers, and support looks different for everybody. I
do have a monthly support group. I do have I
make phone calls and check in on people. I provide
(09:05):
foop boxes once a month, which there is an agency
that does that. I just have to go pick them
up and I have those at my support group. If
they can't attend the support group, I'll hold on to
those throughout the day and they can trickle in and
pick them up throughout the day because of work or
doctor's appointments or things like that. Then I have donations.
(09:32):
People have donations and don't have free yard selves with those.
So if there's you know, donations have used or gently
used items. I'll have free yard cells with those. So
sometimes we just have donations that come in throughout the
year and I just have free yard cells with those
throughout the year, not just that Christmas, okay.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
So people need to be looking out for that, right right.
And if somebody wanted to donate, what do you recommend that?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
They can call our business office and talk to Stephanie
Sprinkle and she handles all.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Of that, okay, all right, And it doesn't have to
be just items. It could be money or items, correct,
or maybe even time right.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Right, Yes, If they want to donate items, they can
contact me directly. If they want to donate money, they
can contact our business office and our business office will
handle all of that, okay. And if they want to donate,
if they want to donate time, and they can contact
(10:46):
my director who is Ladonah Hall, and she will handle all.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Of that, okay. So how much of your time is
spent doing the kinship care stuff versus the forensic interviewing stuff,
you know for the advocacy center.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
It it depends. It could be some days it's you
know a couple of hours. Some days it's more than that.
With Christmas and the number of kids that I have
been serving over Christmas, It's been a lot. On an
average day, it could just be an hour or two
(11:31):
and I'll just make a couple of phone calls throughout
the day, take a couple of phone calls and just
check in on people a little bit, a family here,
a family there, and go through the list throughout the
math and make sure that everybody gets checked on throughout
the month.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Okay, so it's it's not super labor intensive except for
this new adventure that you've taken on for the first time.
So pretty fair. Yeah, that's what I thought. So so far,
I'm sure it's been rewarding in its own way. Do
you think once you get through this season you'll do
(12:09):
it again next year?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Absolutely? It's it has been completely humbling. It has been.
It's been amazing to see how everybody has stepped up
and stepped in and wanted to do this. I never
thought that anybody would want to help with this, but
(12:32):
the community has really stepped in and stepped up. That's
also been neat so great.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Yeah, and have you done any advertising or has it
all been word of mouth?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
It has all been word of mouth.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Wow. Wow, that's importing.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
We've done a little bit with Facebook advertising our Amazon list.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
And how many items would you say or left on it?
If you had to guess?
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Quite a few, I can't guess. There's a lot of
book set's on there, some toys still left on there,
a lot of clothing items. But there's nothing on there
(13:25):
that's super expensive. Everything is generally about forty dollars an ender. Wow,
it's on.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
There, and see to me, that's also impressive just because
you think about kids. They don't really have a concept
of money, generally speaking, and so they'll ask for things
that are usually way outside of at least my budget.
You know, I'm saying, like, my kids are real good
(13:52):
at that, and it kind of tells you that these
kids may be an inverting You've had to grow up
a little faster maybe and or understanding things, uh maybe
further along than their peers. Would you agree with that?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yes, it's very humbling when you look on a Christmas
wish list and you see things like any bedding sheets,
you know, hair care products, poletry items things like that.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Yeah, that that is humbling. Do you have anything that
has stood out to you as far as community involvement
or anything like that that you could tell us a
story about.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Then the Bible that stood out because I had replaced
just a prayer request on and I May five that
I'm involved in, and somebody contacted me and said, what
is your greatest need that you don't think is going
(15:09):
to be mad? And I so, I'm concerned that the
Bibles won't be mad. And within two days I had
all the money for the Bibles, and not only the
Bibles but prayer journals as well.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Oh wow, wow. So I guess when I saw your
post on Facebook and responded, it wasn't as surprising really
because you had been through that before, right.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
And so well, it did surprise me because I it
humbled me because I didn't really think that anybody would
give me the response that I got. I was overwhelmed
with the amount of response that I got from those
two posts. Wow. People actually from the Amazon list based
(16:03):
off of the post that you saw. Some had their
names on the presence that they shipped, some did not.
It's just the amount of response that we have gotten
has been humbling and just amazing. I'm I'm just overwhelmed
(16:26):
with the kindness that everyone has shown.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
That's awesome. I knew when I saw your posts that
I needed to have you here on the show to
try to help that cause, because I mean, this time
of year, most everybody gets a little more generous than usual.
And knowing that there were still at the time thirty
kids and now there's you said, closer to you know,
in the twenty range. But knowing that there were that
(16:51):
many kids that still you know, needed that extra support
and hadn't been sponsored, it tugged at my heart strings.
And so I'm glad that we could catch up and
and have this conversation and kind of get this out there.
Hopefully even putting it out there this year will help
you next year too, because people will anticipate it because
(17:12):
you did it this year, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
So I hope so, because I really do want to
continue this. This has been something that I see that
the community wants to do and it's happy to do.
And I've learned a lot. I've learned a lot about
how to do it. That's just the biggest thing is
(17:37):
the how. So now I know how to do it
and maybe how to approach it better next year.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Okay, So I've never done anything like this either, why
don't you explain that to me? What what have you
learned about the how.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Possibly split it up into communities rather than giving everything
to one business to do. I do like and I'll
continue splitting the needs up for the Angel Tree and
(18:13):
the once for the Amazon List. I'll continue to do
that because that has been the best response with that.
And maybe just think if I can get banks and
things like that involved with maybe mitten trees, getting car
(18:37):
lots and things involved with maybe doing toy drives for
like hot lost cars or model cars and things like that.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Oh, now you're speaking my language. That was my favorite car,
that was my favorite toy growing up was Mattel hot
wheels and Matchbox. So yeah, I love that. I love that.
If you had a message of people who are listening,
then maybe they're not in your little community, but they
hear you and they're kind of feeling their heartstrings pulled
(19:08):
at Which one would you recommend them get more involved
with the Angel Tree or the Amazon List or does
it really matter?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
It doesn't really matter because they go hand in hand.
Everything that's on the Amazon List goes with something that
is on the Angel Tree. So if you purchase something
that's on the Amazon list, it will go to something
that is on that angel tree, so each child, that way,
(19:43):
there's a chance that each child is going to get something.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Gotcha, that makes sense? Can people just donate whatever they
feel like as well? Would you accept that?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Yes? And I will gladly go shopping and I will
even be happy to send or safe and show what
was purchased with so many.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Okay, all right? Is there a deadline for either donations
or purchases through Amazon?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
We're hoping to have everything shipped here by Monday the sixteenth,
so that way, get way we can get everything wrapped
and distributed to families between the eighteenth and the twentieth.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah, in times we're hoping for, Yeah, in time to
either hide it or whatever you're going to do with it,
I guess right ride can you without giving away anybody's identity,
can you share any stories of the families that will
be helped?
Speaker 2 (20:53):
I can. There is one family and the caregiver is
termally ill, and the children will be placed with another
(21:14):
relative once that caregiver passes away. Well, that's so another
relative is another relative is going to step in.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
That's a tough spot, especially for kids who really thrive
on stability. And I can understand why the one family
member took them in, you know, wanting to give them that.
But you know, do you think it's going to be
a problem for them adjusting? Do you think it's gonna
set them back when they have to go to a
(21:47):
different family. How does that work?
Speaker 2 (21:49):
I don't think so, because I think the transition has
been being made over the span of the relatives almost. Okay,
I think that.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Yeah, so that's good. That's nice and pleasant and healthy
for the kids. And m hm, okay, if let me
put it to you this way, I'm just curious, obviously,
and you're the expert. Is there anything we need to
tell the audience about what you do there or about
(22:26):
you know, your Christmas operation or anything like that that
I just didn't know to ask you about it.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
You know, even if you don't get involved with this operation,
think about getting involved with a different Christmas project or
a different project throughout the year with some agency, because it,
no matter how small or how great, it does make
(22:55):
an impact in somebody's boss.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I love that. I think that's great advice. And if
you would, I know you and I talked about it
before we got started. But if you will explain to
people if they wanted to drop off a donation. You
are part of a larger organization, will you explain all
that to us?
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Okay, My office is located at the Mountain Empire Older
Citizen Building in Big Stone Gap, so that is where
everything would be dropped off.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Okay, we're mailed to or however, and it's in that
Mountain Empire Older Citizens Building, right, Okay? Can we find
that online I guess or on Facebook?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Yes? Yes, And they would not be able to come
to the Children's Advocacy Center because it is very private
and we are very careful about the confidentiality. So everything
would have to come to the front door to the
Mountain Empire Older Citizens Building. We're all connected in the
(24:08):
same building that we maintain the privacy of all of
our families and all of our kids, and so that
that is the one thing that everybody would need to know,
is that we hold the confidentiality of all of our
families and all of our clients at very high regard,
(24:30):
and that would need to come to the front office.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Okay, all right, And I don't I know you're not
doing things specific Christmas wise, for you know, the child
add of advocacy group that you're also a part of.
But are you ever taking donations or anything like that
for that part of what you're doing? Do you ever
(24:53):
need public support?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Absolutely? Yearly, we have a yearly gala for the SAC
and we do we also do Christmas for the SAC kids.
It's just on a different different level, and so we
would take donations for them as well, and we would
(25:17):
we would split that up as well to kids who
if it is a gift that meets a child or
it matches that child's personality, we would absolutely match the
gift to the child. Okay, And because sometimes that that
just absolutely happens. We will have to have something here
(25:39):
and we will see a little personality come through here.
We will be like, oh, so and so needs that
because it just matches their little personality. So I know,
I know one time I had a some fishing poles
that were donated and I held on to the fishing
(26:03):
pole for an entire year, and a little guy wanted it.
That was on his Christmas list last year was a
fishing pole. And I had that fishing pole for an
entire year, and so I was able to gift that
to a child last year for Christmas.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
That's awesome. That's awesome. So you know your kids well
enough to be able to not just give them something generic,
but something that you know is personal to them. That's wonderful, right.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
So we really do try to match the gift to
the personality of the child, and we do try to
know as much about our kids as we can and
encourage their individuality and things like that.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Oh yeah, for sure, for sure. So if you will,
because we're coming up to the end of our time,
if you will just plug the website for me again
where people can learn more about your organization, both of
them that you work for, and maybe find out where
to send donations or how to send them so that
anybody listening can can get involved if they want to.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
It is the Mountain Empire Older Citizens. It's www dot
EOC dot org.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Okay, so that's pretty straightforward, and they can call. Can
they donate through your website?
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I'm not sure if then they can donate through the
website that they can call two seven six five two
three four to two zero two and speak to our
business office and they will handle anything that any monetary
(27:59):
donations that any one would want to make.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Okay, awesome, all right. Well, I hope that we've been
able to reach the right people that will hear this
and that will flood you with charity so that you
can really lift up those babies and let them know
that no matter what they're going through, there are people
in the world that love them, even if they haven't
(28:24):
even met them yet.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Well, thank you so much for this opportunity. I very
much appreciate it. I note that the family is appreciated.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I hope you've enjoyed today's show. Thanks for tuning into
the show on your favorite local radio station. You can
now listen to this show or past shows through the
iheartapp or on iHeart dot com. Just search for Virginia
Focus under podcasts. I'm Rebecca Hughes with a Virginia news network,
and I'll be here next week on Virginia Focus.
Welcome to Virginia Focus. I'm Rebecca Hughes of the Virginia
News Network. People of all ages, from children and families
to older adults in need of help in living in
southwest Virginia can turn to a charitable agency known as
the Mountain Empire Older Citizens for a variety of services,
from care coordination for older adults to public transportation, and
(00:28):
from crisis intervention for children to employment programs. The NEOC,
located in Big Stone Gap, offers resources to those parts
of rural Virginia this holiday season. They could use your help.
All right, Ms Hobson, Welcome to the show. I'm so
glad you could be with us today. I know we
got a lot to talk about, but I want to
give you a chance first to kind of introduce yourself
(00:49):
to the audience and let them know what you do.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Hey, my name is Apail Hobson, and I am a
forensic interviewer and the King Care Coordinator at the South
with Virginia Children's Advocacy SANDAR a Big Stone Gap. I
do a little bit of everything. I do forensic interviews
for children who are there's out where there's allegations of abuse,
(01:19):
and I also work with caregivers who are raising the
child of a relative.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Okay, so it sounds like a very very important job.
I can imagine that forensic interviewing really can be hard
on you emotionally because that's hard to hear. But I'm
really glad that you're able to do that.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Why don't we.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Start by talking about the biggest reason I invite you
on the show today is my understanding that you guys
are offering people a chance to sponsor children for the holidays,
and there's quite a few that still need sponsors, right, yes,
So don't you tell me about that.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
What had started out was I've received an influx of
referrals in the past two to three months for my
support program for Kinship Care, and we always do a
little something for Christmas. So this business in Johnesil, Virginia,
(02:37):
which is one of our service areas. We served four counties,
and she offered to do an angel tree for me,
and she did fifty two of my children and that
left about thirty five of them and sponsored and I
(03:00):
had about a five hundred dollars budget to do this,
so it really really helped. So just anything helps, Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
So of fifty two children is what you said you
had total and you still have thirty five that needs sponsors.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Since since then, I still have probably about twenty that
needs sponsors.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Okay, And is this something that you've done before or
is this the first year doing this.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
This is actually the first year doing this. It's not
quite what I had imagined. Somebody had called and said,
I have a donation of X amount of dollars, which
was the five hundred dollars, can you know, can you
use it? And I said yes, And I thought, okay,
(03:52):
I can do something little for all the kids. And
that was my original plan. And then the very next day,
this young lady said, I'd like to do an angel
tree for you. And so she owns their skin Studios
in Johnsville, Virginia, and she did this angel tree and
(04:14):
it was actually a very good response for that for
the community because it's a very small community. And so
that's how the angel tree was born. That was never
ever my intent and it it just it just happened.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Yeah, that's the well, that's the way the best things happened.
You don't necessarily plan for them. So when you have
people sponsor a child, does it have to be a
business or can it be an individual.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
It can be a business, it can be an individual.
Either way. We have we also have an Amazon list
that people can shop from just individual items, so it
doesn't even have to be anything big. It doesn't have
to be a big donation. We've had since people have
(05:10):
been finding out that we're doing sponsors of kids, people
have donated twenty dollars. They have donated larger amounts. Someone
purchased an agent was actually an agency purchased a large
amount of toys from the Amazon list for us to distribute. Yeah,
(05:34):
but there's still quite a few on there. And there
was a group I had seventeen children that requested bibles,
and there was a lady who took that request and
gathered all the money for those bibles and some.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Oh wow, that's already been met.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
So that need has already been met. Bibles have already
been ordered, and a few extra for birthday presents, graduation presents,
whatever may come up. If that is what that child requests,
I'll hold on to those.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Okay, So what's the age group of the children that
still need sponsors.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
We have children aged from I think the youngest is
four all the way to seventeen.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
Wow, and do they kind of give you their wish list.
Is that how you came up with the Amazon list.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yeah. They we gave all the kids a wish list
so that way we kind of see their sizes, things
that were interested in, things that they would you would
like to have in case there were donations. That was
the thought behind the wish list is if there's donations,
(06:59):
we could meet whatever that child's need wish was with
the donation that we had.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Okay, and these kids, I mean, are they foster care kids,
are they somehow in the system or is this just
families that are in need in the community or a
little both.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Usually we because the kids that are in foster care
are usually well taken care of. So these are the
especially the kids with the King Care program. Those are
kids that are with relatives and those relatives are not
receiving any type of payment. The kids the referrals that
(07:41):
I had that were last minute, they received those kids
just on this further moment. They weren't expecting to have
those kids. Wow, that they took them in to keep
them out of the system, to keep them out of
face custody and things like that.
Speaker 1 (08:03):
Wow, and that's for the best, right in your experience.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right, Children do better with people who are invested in them.
There's less trauma, there's less disruption and placement. Children do
better when they are with somebody who's invested and there's
just less disruption.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Okay, So I'll be honest with you, I'm not as
familiar with kinship Care. Can you kind of explain what
the organization, like, how it started and what you do
and and if anybody hears this and they're like, you know,
want to be supportive, how they can do.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
That Kinship Care? What I do is I provide support
to relative caregivers, and support looks different for everybody. I
do have a monthly support group. I do have I
make phone calls and check in on people. I provide
(09:05):
foop boxes once a month, which there is an agency
that does that. I just have to go pick them
up and I have those at my support group. If
they can't attend the support group, I'll hold on to
those throughout the day and they can trickle in and
pick them up throughout the day because of work or
doctor's appointments or things like that. Then I have donations.
(09:32):
People have donations and don't have free yard selves with those.
So if there's you know, donations have used or gently
used items. I'll have free yard cells with those. So
sometimes we just have donations that come in throughout the
year and I just have free yard cells with those
throughout the year, not just that Christmas, okay.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
So people need to be looking out for that, right right.
And if somebody wanted to donate, what do you recommend that?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
They can call our business office and talk to Stephanie
Sprinkle and she handles all.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Of that, okay, all right, And it doesn't have to
be just items. It could be money or items, correct,
or maybe even time right.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Right, Yes, If they want to donate items, they can
contact me directly. If they want to donate money, they
can contact our business office and our business office will
handle all of that, okay. And if they want to donate,
if they want to donate time, and they can contact
(10:46):
my director who is Ladonah Hall, and she will handle all.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Of that, okay. So how much of your time is
spent doing the kinship care stuff versus the forensic interviewing stuff,
you know for the advocacy center.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
It it depends. It could be some days it's you
know a couple of hours. Some days it's more than that.
With Christmas and the number of kids that I have
been serving over Christmas, It's been a lot. On an
average day, it could just be an hour or two
(11:31):
and I'll just make a couple of phone calls throughout
the day, take a couple of phone calls and just
check in on people a little bit, a family here,
a family there, and go through the list throughout the
math and make sure that everybody gets checked on throughout
the month.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Okay, so it's it's not super labor intensive except for
this new adventure that you've taken on for the first time.
So pretty fair. Yeah, that's what I thought. So so far,
I'm sure it's been rewarding in its own way. Do
you think once you get through this season you'll do
(12:09):
it again next year?
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Absolutely? It's it has been completely humbling. It has been.
It's been amazing to see how everybody has stepped up
and stepped in and wanted to do this. I never
thought that anybody would want to help with this, but
(12:32):
the community has really stepped in and stepped up. That's
also been neat so great.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Yeah, and have you done any advertising or has it
all been word of mouth?
Speaker 2 (12:45):
It has all been word of mouth.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
Wow. Wow, that's importing.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
We've done a little bit with Facebook advertising our Amazon list.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
And how many items would you say or left on it?
If you had to guess?
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Quite a few, I can't guess. There's a lot of
book set's on there, some toys still left on there,
a lot of clothing items. But there's nothing on there
(13:25):
that's super expensive. Everything is generally about forty dollars an ender. Wow,
it's on.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
There, and see to me, that's also impressive just because
you think about kids. They don't really have a concept
of money, generally speaking, and so they'll ask for things
that are usually way outside of at least my budget.
You know, I'm saying, like, my kids are real good
(13:52):
at that, and it kind of tells you that these
kids may be an inverting You've had to grow up
a little faster maybe and or understanding things, uh maybe
further along than their peers. Would you agree with that?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yes, it's very humbling when you look on a Christmas
wish list and you see things like any bedding sheets,
you know, hair care products, poletry items things like that.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Yeah, that that is humbling. Do you have anything that
has stood out to you as far as community involvement
or anything like that that you could tell us a
story about.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Then the Bible that stood out because I had replaced
just a prayer request on and I May five that
I'm involved in, and somebody contacted me and said, what
is your greatest need that you don't think is going
(15:09):
to be mad? And I so, I'm concerned that the
Bibles won't be mad. And within two days I had
all the money for the Bibles, and not only the
Bibles but prayer journals as well.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Oh wow, wow. So I guess when I saw your
post on Facebook and responded, it wasn't as surprising really
because you had been through that before, right.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
And so well, it did surprise me because I it
humbled me because I didn't really think that anybody would
give me the response that I got. I was overwhelmed
with the amount of response that I got from those
two posts. Wow. People actually from the Amazon list based
(16:03):
off of the post that you saw. Some had their
names on the presence that they shipped, some did not.
It's just the amount of response that we have gotten
has been humbling and just amazing. I'm I'm just overwhelmed
(16:26):
with the kindness that everyone has shown.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
That's awesome. I knew when I saw your posts that
I needed to have you here on the show to
try to help that cause, because I mean, this time
of year, most everybody gets a little more generous than usual.
And knowing that there were still at the time thirty
kids and now there's you said, closer to you know,
in the twenty range. But knowing that there were that
(16:51):
many kids that still you know, needed that extra support
and hadn't been sponsored, it tugged at my heart strings.
And so I'm glad that we could catch up and
and have this conversation and kind of get this out there.
Hopefully even putting it out there this year will help
you next year too, because people will anticipate it because
(17:12):
you did it this year, you know.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
So I hope so, because I really do want to
continue this. This has been something that I see that
the community wants to do and it's happy to do.
And I've learned a lot. I've learned a lot about
how to do it. That's just the biggest thing is
(17:37):
the how. So now I know how to do it
and maybe how to approach it better next year.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Okay, So I've never done anything like this either, why
don't you explain that to me? What what have you
learned about the how.
Speaker 2 (17:52):
Possibly split it up into communities rather than giving everything
to one business to do. I do like and I'll
continue splitting the needs up for the Angel Tree and
(18:13):
the once for the Amazon List. I'll continue to do
that because that has been the best response with that.
And maybe just think if I can get banks and
things like that involved with maybe mitten trees, getting car
(18:37):
lots and things involved with maybe doing toy drives for
like hot lost cars or model cars and things like that.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Oh, now you're speaking my language. That was my favorite car,
that was my favorite toy growing up was Mattel hot
wheels and Matchbox. So yeah, I love that. I love that.
If you had a message of people who are listening,
then maybe they're not in your little community, but they
hear you and they're kind of feeling their heartstrings pulled
(19:08):
at Which one would you recommend them get more involved
with the Angel Tree or the Amazon List or does
it really matter?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
It doesn't really matter because they go hand in hand.
Everything that's on the Amazon List goes with something that
is on the Angel Tree. So if you purchase something
that's on the Amazon list, it will go to something
that is on that angel tree, so each child, that way,
(19:43):
there's a chance that each child is going to get something.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
Gotcha, that makes sense? Can people just donate whatever they
feel like as well? Would you accept that?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Yes? And I will gladly go shopping and I will
even be happy to send or safe and show what
was purchased with so many.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
Okay, all right? Is there a deadline for either donations
or purchases through Amazon?
Speaker 2 (20:14):
We're hoping to have everything shipped here by Monday the sixteenth,
so that way, get way we can get everything wrapped
and distributed to families between the eighteenth and the twentieth.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Yeah, in times we're hoping for, Yeah, in time to
either hide it or whatever you're going to do with it,
I guess right ride can you without giving away anybody's identity,
can you share any stories of the families that will
be helped?
Speaker 2 (20:53):
I can. There is one family and the caregiver is
termally ill, and the children will be placed with another
(21:14):
relative once that caregiver passes away. Well, that's so another
relative is another relative is going to step in.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
That's a tough spot, especially for kids who really thrive
on stability. And I can understand why the one family
member took them in, you know, wanting to give them that.
But you know, do you think it's going to be
a problem for them adjusting? Do you think it's gonna
set them back when they have to go to a
(21:47):
different family. How does that work?
Speaker 2 (21:49):
I don't think so, because I think the transition has
been being made over the span of the relatives almost. Okay,
I think that.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Yeah, so that's good. That's nice and pleasant and healthy
for the kids. And m hm, okay, if let me
put it to you this way, I'm just curious, obviously,
and you're the expert. Is there anything we need to
tell the audience about what you do there or about
(22:26):
you know, your Christmas operation or anything like that that
I just didn't know to ask you about it.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
You know, even if you don't get involved with this operation,
think about getting involved with a different Christmas project or
a different project throughout the year with some agency, because it,
no matter how small or how great, it does make
(22:55):
an impact in somebody's boss.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I love that. I think that's great advice. And if
you would, I know you and I talked about it
before we got started. But if you will explain to
people if they wanted to drop off a donation. You
are part of a larger organization, will you explain all
that to us?
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Okay, My office is located at the Mountain Empire Older
Citizen Building in Big Stone Gap, so that is where
everything would be dropped off.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Okay, we're mailed to or however, and it's in that
Mountain Empire Older Citizens Building, right, Okay? Can we find
that online I guess or on Facebook?
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Yes? Yes, And they would not be able to come
to the Children's Advocacy Center because it is very private
and we are very careful about the confidentiality. So everything
would have to come to the front door to the
Mountain Empire Older Citizens Building. We're all connected in the
(24:08):
same building that we maintain the privacy of all of
our families and all of our kids, and so that
that is the one thing that everybody would need to know,
is that we hold the confidentiality of all of our
families and all of our clients at very high regard,
(24:30):
and that would need to come to the front office.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
Okay, all right, And I don't I know you're not
doing things specific Christmas wise, for you know, the child
add of advocacy group that you're also a part of.
But are you ever taking donations or anything like that
for that part of what you're doing? Do you ever
(24:53):
need public support?
Speaker 2 (24:56):
Absolutely? Yearly, we have a yearly gala for the SAC
and we do we also do Christmas for the SAC kids.
It's just on a different different level, and so we
would take donations for them as well, and we would
(25:17):
we would split that up as well to kids who
if it is a gift that meets a child or
it matches that child's personality, we would absolutely match the
gift to the child. Okay, And because sometimes that that
just absolutely happens. We will have to have something here
(25:39):
and we will see a little personality come through here.
We will be like, oh, so and so needs that
because it just matches their little personality. So I know,
I know one time I had a some fishing poles
that were donated and I held on to the fishing
(26:03):
pole for an entire year, and a little guy wanted it.
That was on his Christmas list last year was a
fishing pole. And I had that fishing pole for an
entire year, and so I was able to gift that
to a child last year for Christmas.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
That's awesome. That's awesome. So you know your kids well
enough to be able to not just give them something generic,
but something that you know is personal to them. That's wonderful, right.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
So we really do try to match the gift to
the personality of the child, and we do try to
know as much about our kids as we can and
encourage their individuality and things like that.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
Oh yeah, for sure, for sure. So if you will,
because we're coming up to the end of our time,
if you will just plug the website for me again
where people can learn more about your organization, both of
them that you work for, and maybe find out where
to send donations or how to send them so that
anybody listening can can get involved if they want to.
Speaker 2 (27:16):
It is the Mountain Empire Older Citizens. It's www dot
EOC dot org.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
Okay, so that's pretty straightforward, and they can call. Can
they donate through your website?
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I'm not sure if then they can donate through the
website that they can call two seven six five two
three four to two zero two and speak to our
business office and they will handle anything that any monetary
(27:59):
donations that any one would want to make.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
Okay, awesome, all right. Well, I hope that we've been
able to reach the right people that will hear this
and that will flood you with charity so that you
can really lift up those babies and let them know
that no matter what they're going through, there are people
in the world that love them, even if they haven't
(28:24):
even met them yet.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Well, thank you so much for this opportunity. I very
much appreciate it. I note that the family is appreciated.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
I hope you've enjoyed today's show. Thanks for tuning into
the show on your favorite local radio station. You can
now listen to this show or past shows through the
iheartapp or on iHeart dot com. Just search for Virginia
Focus under podcasts. I'm Rebecca Hughes with a Virginia news network,
and I'll be here next week on Virginia Focus.
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