With holiday shopping beginning, consider donating a gift or two to the men at the Second Chance Recovery House.
“Adults deserve to celebrate Christmas like everyone else, and be able to feel that someone cares about them,” said Tessera Brooks, executive director of Second Chance.
The men are at Second Chance to get help in ending their addictions to alcohol and drugs.
The house is operated by the North Island Supportive Recovery Society and has been open since 1990.
Each year they help over 200 men become clean and sober, who in turn return to the workforce, work as volunteers, go back to school, and reunite with family and friends, making a positive difference in the community.
“Christmas is often a difficult time of year for our clients because of things that have happened to them in the past during the holidays and it also a time often associated with partying and drinking a lot,” explained Brooks.
“And because they are away from family and friends we try to make it as a comfortable as possible for them.”
The clients each receive a gift or two and a stocking on Christmas morning. Later in the day they enjoy a turkey dinner.
Suggested gift ideas include new hoodies, t-shirts, scarves, gloves, toques, sweat pants, slippers, daytimers or calendars, baseball hats and wallets.
Ideas for stocking stuffers include razors, shaving cream, deodorant, shampoo, soap, socks, underwear, chocolates, candy, gum, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, nail clippers and hair brushes.
Donations can be dropped off at the Second Chance house at 647 Birch St. or call 830-1103 to arrange for pick up.