Get Involved With Something Meaningful This Cheerful Holiday Season

I'm back at it! Here's the start of my Christmas for the Homeless campaign I run every year during this time. As promised from the first time I did this, I'm continuing to expand my community outreach and service to Nashville's homeless population every year. For those of you who've never heard of this campaign, here's a little about what I'm doing and what I'm asking of you and your friends.

Every year on Christmas Eve, I spend my morning to afternoon with the homeless population in downtown Nashville. I purchase throw blankets, Christmas cards, food, personal hygiene items and stockings to give to them for Christmas. As of two years ago, I've started running a coat drive from my aunt's house in East Nashville to collect good condition coats for them to have before our "late" winter kicks in around here in the 615 (I love the South). I average about 60-70 stockings a year with all of the items listed included. I hope to have way more this year with your help.

So what started this? Back in December 2015, I was strolling through downtown Nashville when I noticed how everyone was cheerful but bypassing homeless men and women asking for food or money. I became irritated with how much money was being made in the downtown area from Christmas shoppers to tourists but none of it was going towards resolving our homeless issue. I thought, "At the very least, our homeless brothers and sisters should be able to enjoy Christmas, too." I thought of the most simple, yet symbolic, way to help them celebrate it. That's when I decided to make everyone I crossed paths with on a regular basis a stocking. Fast forward a couple of weeks, I handed those stockings to every homeless person downtown from 6th Ave North (by the Main library branch) and lower Broadway to the Riverfront. I vowed to make and distribute them every year on Christmas Eve.

All money donated will be used to buy throw blankets and stockings. Any donation amount is very appreciated. I can meet up with you or you can contribute on here. If you can not offer a monetary contribution, please consider my coat drive. I'll post more details about how to give those in this campaign. If those options aren't best for you, time is just as great. I'll need help passing these items out. If you are interested in joining me and my team on Christmas Eve, please send me an email at urbanthreadsdiscuss@yahoo.com. If you can't donate money, coats or time, please share this campaign on your social media pages. Thanks for the support in advance!