• By Todd Luck
• Posted Friday, January 11, 2019

Social Services sponsors make Christmas wishes come true

Forty-five sponsors helped the Forsyth County Department of Social Services (FCDSS) make sure all 240 children in its custody during the holidays received presents for Christmas.

A long-standing tradition at FCDSS, the department’s Christmas Drive lets local businesses and individuals sponsor a child.The gifts help give the children a sense of normality during a tumultuous time in their lives.

“We do it because the kids deserve a happy, joyous Christmas,” said John Thacker, Director of the Family & Children’s Division at DSS.

Children in FCDSS custody, who may be staying with relatives, in foster homes or at group homes, make a list of three gifts they want. Sponsors then buy the gifts on the wishlists, which do not include the child’s name to protect their privacy. Social workers deliver them to the children’s caretakers before Christmas, who then wrap the presents and give them to the children. This year’s gifts included toys, clothes, games, makeup, art kits, gift cards and even bicycles.

Coordination of the drive is spearheaded at FCDSS by Phyllis Westbrook, Sharon Porter along with the Foster Home Licensing Team.

The 2018 sponsors included: ABC 45 Television, Forsyth Women Attorneys Association, Mt. Tabor High School, Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, William G. White Jr. Family YMCA, W-S Chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Beck’s Baptist Church, Allman Spry Law Offices, FCDSS Child Welfare Attorneys, FCDSS Child Welfare Paralegals, Kevin & Taleona Mayfield, Entercom Radio - Gregory Pendergrass, The Wood’s Family, Habitat for Humanity, Halvorsen Family Law Group, Payne S. Associates PLLC, Forsyth Technical Community College, WS Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, Robinson & Lawing LLP, Cherise King, Brent Helms, Alicia C. Phillip, Esq, Susan Simons, Tanya Fisher, Matthew Bryant, Marshalla Sitton and Sarah Crotts. They also included Attorneys Tina Flowers, Corena Norris-McClurey, Lorraine Mortis, Ursula Walder, R. Yvette Stackhouse, Fredrick Evans, Joshua Simmons, M. Beth Hopkins, K. Redd, Cecil Summers, Al Andrews, Travis Simpson, Jayne Stowers, Lisa Costner, Shannon Meares, Frederick B. Adams II and Judge Laurie Hutchins.

Those interested in becoming sponsors for next Christmas can call (336) 703-2445.