The Victor/ Farmington Christmas Stocking Program is located in Victor, New York. The Victor/ Farmington Food Cupboard is the umbrella non-profit that this program works under. After the last recession many middle class families, as well as the blue-collar families lost their jobs and homes. The number of families registered at the food cupboard doubled in only one year. Recently, the House of Rep
resentatives approved sweeping reforms to the nation's food stamp program that would cut some $40 billion in nutrition aid over 10 years and deny benefits to millions starting in 2014. Although our school district, churches and our community as a whole work hard to keep their fellow neighbors afloat, there is a never ending need to feed these people, get school supplies for their children and of course remember them at Christmas time. Local churches, community clubs and the school district do their best to buy gifts. After working with my Girl Scout troop for five years filling stockings for the city of Rochester, I realized that we needed to start looking at our own community after the economy plummeted. This is my fifth year running our community Christmas Stocking Program and each year the numbers of families grow. All families are screened by either the school district or the food cupboard in order to participate in this program. In a world where needy people have very few choices and must take whatever they are given, our stocking program gives the parents choices and a fun shopping experience. The environment is festive and all Volunteers wear elf hats, childcare is offered with live music and refreshments offered to parents waiting their turn to shop. In the shop, each table is dedicated to an age group. Stockings are net so the parents can look inside and decide which one would be best for their child. Hats, scarfs, gloves are offered as well as miscellaneous toys donated. We offer candy in separate bags in case of food allergies. We try to do everything we can to make this a joyful event for the parents in these trying times.
