Holiday Help letters ready for people willing to give

A single mother in Fort Mitchell who recently lost her job of nine years is requesting clothes and toys for her two daughters.

A Columbus woman with no household income who’s surviving on ramen noodles is requesting food so she can cook Christmas dinner “just for myself.”

A single mother from Phenix City who quit her job to care for her grandmother who has dementia is requesting clothes for her three boys. “They all like Nerf guns but they are really grateful for anything!” she writes.

These are real letters recently submitted to the Ledger-Enquirer’s Holiday Help program, and we now have more than a hundred like them.

The premise of our program is simple: People in need in the Chattahoochee Valley write letters describing their plight, and people with plenty have an opportunity to read and choose their letters and help them.

Many people like to take a collection in their office and then choose a family to help. Over the years, some of the most popular letters have been from mothers requesting simple toys and basic clothing for their children, and from adults seeking food for their holiday meal, and from the letters we’ve received since Monday, that trend continues.

To see the letters and make a selection, stop by our lobby on the first floor of the Hardaway Building at 945 Broadway from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday through Dec. 23. If you have an abundance this year, we hope you’ll consider helping.

If you have a great need this holiday season, there’s still plenty of time to send us a holiday help letter. Here’s how: Write a letter describing what you need. Be sure to include your name, phone number and address so donors can contact you. Mail it to: Holiday Help, P.O. Box 711; Columbus, GA 31902-0711. You can also drop off your letter in the Ledger-Enquirer lobby.

Note: Simple, handwritten letters are welcome and encouraged. We do not accept electronic submissions such as e-email letters or requests for help made in the comment section of this story or on Facebook.

Also, the Ledger-Enquirer does not screen letters, nor can we guarantee their truthfulness.

Happy holidays from the Ledger-Enquirer!

This story was originally published December 10, 2016 at 4:47 PM with the headline "Holiday Help letters ready for people willing to give."