Jubilee Christmas 'restores faith in humanity'

Carley Garbison can't talk about the impact Lafayette Urban Ministry's Jubilee Christmas has on her family without crying.

The program, now in its 34th year, provides more than $200,000 in free Christmas gifts and food for the children of low-income parents.

"I wouldn't have had the means to get them something any other way," said Garbison, 25. "It restores your faith in humanity, in a way. It just makes it so that my kids, who otherwise would struggle, don't have to."

On Saturday, Garbison was among the nearly 600 families served by the program this year. More than 1,600 children will be impacted this year, receiving toys, clothing and food. The program's approach is to make the parents heroes in the eyes of their children come Christmas morning.

"It helps parents make it in a time when budgets are already tight," said Holly Keckler, co-coordinator of the site at Central Presbyterian Church. "It keeps them from having to make that choice between buying gifts for their kids or paying bills or getting medicine."

Lafayette Urban Ministry organizes the program with support from 24 host sites including churches and Purdue fraternities and sororities. Thirty-two other churches and community partners donated the gifts and supplies.

At Central Presbyterian, the giveaway began at 9 a.m. for about 30 families. Those groups, each with a volunteer chaperon, rotated through several stations including toys, books and stocking stuffers.

At the final station, families could pick up food and other necessities. Each family left with a new fleece blanket.

Volunteer Kathy Parker said the program puts things into perspective for her family.

"My own kids say, 'I need new headphones,' " Parker said. "I constantly say, 'You don't need that. You want that. There's a difference.' Some children may not be getting anything this year."

For Garbison and her sons — 5-year-old Kael and 2-year-old Kayson — the program makes all the difference.

"I just want to say thank you to everybody," an emotional Garbison said. "Not just for my family but for everybody here."