City Christmas
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on December 24, 2017 3:05 AM
rmoore@newsargus.com
City of Goldsboro employees and its Community Relations Department teamed up to make Christmas brighter for close to 100 children in need this year.
Each year, city department leaders and their employees pool together their resources and select a child from the Christmas tree inside City Hall.
While the program usually focuses on gifts for children at one of the city schools, this year the need went further with children from two schools receiving Christmas gifts, said Shycole Simpson-Carter, Goldsboro community relations director.
"This year for Christmas, the departments within the city of Goldsboro teamed up to provide presents ranging from toys, shoes, clothing and many other items to children from North Drive and Carver Heights elementary schools," she said.
"They do this every year but not at this level. We had some (departments) that did two to three kids."
Simpson-Carter learned that the need was greater this year, which led to distributing gifts to both schools. In total, 35 children received the gifts, as well as two books each, as part of the mayor's reading initiative, she said. North Drive Elementary students alone received 600 books, which were purchased from the city's Community Relations Department budget.
"He wants to make sure every child in the city limits of Goldsboro gets some type of book or help with reading," Simpson-Carter said.
The gifts were distributed Tuesday before the school Christmas break. The deliveries were made by Goldsboro Parks and Recreation Department employees and included a visit from Santa Claus.
"It's a selfless as these that show the city's mission in true form -- to provide services, promote equality and protect the well-being of all citizens for a better tomorrow."
Simpson-Carter also learned recently, on Dec. 15, that there were another 51 children in the city who were in need, based on feedback from Shirley Edwards, a community advocate.
The Y's Men Program, out of the Goldsboro Family YMCA, the Goldsboro Community Relations Department and Womack Electric partnered to donate money to purchase clothing, books and toys for the children. Several bicycles were also donated by Womack Electric and bicycle helmets were given by Bicycle World. Thousands of dollars were donated to the effort.
"They really gave a lot of money for this cause," Simpson-Carter said of the Y's Men Program. "We were able to (give to) 51 kids and each received four Christmas presents, plus under garments, outfits, coats, shoes, school supplies and pajamas."