The Miracle on Vine Street program is asking the community for gift donations and volunteer time ahead of its 13th annual event. The program helps make sure children in foster care in Taylor County have Christmas gifts. It is one of several programs run by the Taylor County Child Welfare Board.
Julianne Greenfield, faith-based and community engagement regional administrator for CPS, said the event is set for Dec. 5. Under the plan she described, donors bring gifts to an Abilene ISD building and volunteers collect them, check them against a list, and sort them for each child's caseworker. Organizers recommend toys, clothes and other essential items, and asked donors not to go over a $100 limit.
Organizers said last year's event served more than 300 children. Darrin Cox, homeless and foster care liaison for Abilene ISD and co-chair of the Taylor County Child Welfare Board, said the programs also serve many students facing homelessness.