BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County Human Services opens their Holiday Cottage back to the community of Kern County. Members in the community can donate & buy gifts for a foster kid during the holidays.
- This is the 37th year they have provided this service to the foster youth.
- The Cottage is open from Monday through Saturday from 10-4pm. They will be closed on Sunday.
- Each year they fulfill at least 700 wishes for the foster community.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The holiday season is back in Kern County, and Kern County Human Services is bringing back its annual holiday cottage for foster children. I'm Eric J. Dockery, your Bakersfield neighborhood reporter. The department is accepting and donating gifts for children and families in need.
Kern County Human Services has been providing this event to the community for 37 years. Helping hundreds of foster children each year receive that one gift they really want.
Kristy Torres the Project Manager for the Holiday Cottage said "We then in turn and ask the community to assist us in facilitating getting this wishes fulfilled. The community comes into the holiday cottage our live space here. They can choose a wish, it will have the child's first name, what their wish is, then we allow the community a couple days to fulfill those wishes. Bring them back and then we make sure the wishes are then given to the foster children."
Each year the organization fulfill around 700 wishes, They accept and allow anyone to make wishes come true from November 13-December 6th. They are open Monday-Saturday from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM and closed on Sundays.
"A few years back I had an opportunity to speak to a former foster youth who is now 24 years old. What he told me, is he remember the time when he used to get these gifts from the Holiday Cottage. It meant so much to him it really brightened the holidays for him. His final year he got a laptop of all things which he actually used through college." said Lito Morillo the Director of Kern County Human Services
Lito Morillo tells me foster youth go through a rough time during the holidays and their goal at the cottage is to be a light in their lives Christmas morning.
"They've helped me by providing gifts I received gifts from foster children in my care at the time and it was really great. As a foster parent its hard when you are fostering multiple children. When the holiday season comes around sometimes financially its hard to provide that one gift they are looking for." said Gloria Luna a Foster Parent.
Human Services offers this program to all foster families in Kern County from newborn to 21 years old. You can come visit their workshop at 3043 Wilson Road in Bakersfield. Each age group has a different tree where you can select the wish and provide for a child in need.
If you can't make it to the cottage organizers created a website for you to submit your wishes so they can still be delivered for the holidays. For 23 ABC I'm Eric J. Dockery your Bakersfield neighborhood reporter.
To donate or fulfill an order visit Holiday Cottage for more information.
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