Nancy and Ed Ousley have loved and nurtured 47 foster children over nearly 20 years.

“Every holiday or birthday ... that’s when it comes back to you,” Nancy Ousley said. “It’s been something positive — something to help somebody. Sometimes you don’t realize you did good until further down the road.”

Foster home children and children in disadvantaged homes are counting on Santa. But, not every area child will wake up Christmas morning to reap the rewards of an overnight visit from Santa.

That could depend on you.

The Salvation Army, the Department of Human Services, the Muskogee Housing Authority and other agencies help make it easy for the public to become a part of making a child’s Christmas merry.

“What the community donates becomes these (foster home) kids’ Christmas,” said Mike Jackson, area director of the Department of Human Services. “Most have no family to back them up for Christmas.”

Although foster home children get clothing through DHS during the year, Christmas presents aren’t part of the public care package, officials said.

DHS foster home workers are seeking two gifts costing $30 each for 146 foster home children to unwrap at a gala party. The party will be held at the Shriner’s Hall, next to the Bedouin Temple, said Betty Stevenson of DHS.

Trees are set up in Muskogee, including the lobby of the Phoenix, with the ages and wishes of the foster home child you might want to help. Many of the children are asking for gift cards.

Wrapping the gifts is not necessary. DHS workers will wrap them. If you want to buy more for a child, it will be taken to them at their foster home, not the Christmas party, where each child will receive two gifts.

The Salvation Army is counting on the public to take names of children they are helping from two angel trees. Their toys will be distributed Dec. 21 and Dec. 22 to waiting children. The organization provided 1,085 children with toys last year — a minimum of three presents each.

If a donor buys an “angel” 10 gifts, that child get 10 gifts, Salvation Army officials said.

An employee of Muskogee Housing Authority remembers last year one little girl didn’t want to sign the Christmas list, saying she knew Santa didn’t exist.

She was proven wrong by Muskogee residents who bought gifts for her and 200 other children living in public housing.

Gifts going to Muskogee Housing Authority need not be wrapped, officials said.

About 200 children living in public housing need toys. The Muskogee Housing Authority is gathering new and used toys for children 10 and under to be distributed at Green Country Village and Port City Acres, said April Herrera.

A lot of parents who live in public housing can’t afford Christmas toys for their children, no matter how much they love them, authority workers said.



You can help

Agencies with gift trees and where you’ll find them:

Foster home children

• Walmart, Kmart, Armstrong Bank, Arvest Bank, BancFirst, Citizen’s Security and Trust, Fort Gibson Bank and Muskogee Phoenix.

• Pick a star, a snowman or an elf in a stocking, purchase a $30 gift or buy a $30 gift card. Don’t wrap, but return with the number of the child by Dec. 14.

• Those wanting to donate money and have social workers buy the gifts for you, make a check or money order out to DHS 730 Fund and mail it to Department of Human Services, Attn. Foster Care, P.O. Box 608, Muskogee, OK, 74402.

• Those wanting to buy candy or fruit for the children’s stockings may bring those items to the Phoenix. Wrapping paper also will be accepted.

Salvation Army Angel tree

• Pick an angel’s name from a tree at Arrowhead Mall or Walmart. Take the unwrapped gift back to the same tree, with the part of the angel that identifies the child it was purchased for, said Cadet D.J. Fox.

• The gifts will be distributed Dec. 21 and 22.

Muskogee Housing Authority

• Take unwrapped used or new toys or money for gifts for children under 10 to Port City at 2103 N. 36th St., or Green Country Village at 1518 S. Fifth St. Information: 687-5631 or 682-3672.

First American Cash Advance and U.S. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

• First American Cash Advance is teaming up for the eighth consecutive year with the U.S. Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. They will be collecting unwrapped toys at 1903 N. Main St., during November and December. A Marine representative will be picking up all toys on or about Dec. 15. Information: 682-0248.



Reach Donna Hales at 918-684-2923 or Click Here to Send Email