While the Christmas season is usually a time of joy, hundreds of St. Tammany parish residents will spend their holiday at local behavioral health and substance use facilities, away from the warmth of family and friends.
You can help to spread hope and brighten someone’s holiday by making a donation to Christmas Angels this year.
Since 2008, the Christmas Angels program has collected donations of cozy socks, travel-sized personal care items, snacks and journals from within the community and wrapped hundreds of gifts to be opened on Christmas morning. While it may seem like a small token, these gifts represent community support and help to reduce feelings of isolation while providing hope.
Last year, NAMI St. Tammany provided over 400 gifts to individuals at Avenues, Beacon Behavioral Health Hospital, Covington Behavioral Health, Lakeview Regional Behavioral Health, Northlake Behavioral health system, and other partners on the Safe Haven Campus.
Anyone may donate unwrapped items at one of 3 locations, shop their Amazon wish list, or a make a monetary donation online at Christmas Angels – NAMI St. Tammany (namisttammany.org). Suggested donation items include men, women, and adolescent/teen socks, travel-size shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, travel-size body wash, snacks (popcorn, cookies, cakes, crackers, hot chocolate, candy), and entertainment (card games, puzzle books, wireless journals, nerf-type balls, pop-its, etc..).
Donate from now until Wednesday, December 20 at the NAMI St. Tammany Office in Mandeville, at Crescent Title in Mandeville, or the Northshare Building in Covington.
