Richmond Christmas Mother Fund 2013

Can you believe it- Christmas 2013 is just around the corner! If you have lived in the Richmond area for any length of time, the Richmond Christmas Mother stories, published in the Times Dispatch probably come to mind. Those stories are a reminder that some of our neighbors are going through a season of struggle. Some good news though is that the Christmas Mother Fund offers an easy way to lend a hand.

This tradition has been going on here in Richmond for over 79 years. The official Christmas Mother Fund began in 1935, but that was not the beginning of an organized effort of Richmonders helping their neighbors.

As early as 1924 The Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Good Fellows Club collected toys, food and clothing for families in need. The Richmond News Leader had a similar program. There is a wonderful picture of boxes of donations piled near the street in front of the Richmond Times-Dispatch building in 1932. 

Back then, in addition to the normal gifts, donations could also be a nice family meal, or even adopt a family for a day- maybe taking them to a park and serving up a delicious meal for them.  Some donations were dropped off in front of orphanages or directly at the family’s home.

With all of these donations coming in from the community to these two organizations, an idea originated to combine both operations. In 1935, the two came together and the Christmas Mother Fund became the new enterprise. It remains an extremely generous entity to this day.

There is a heart warming article on the internet from The Richmond Times-Dispatch- December 16, 1933 about Christmas giving in Richmond.

"When Good Fellows 'Give' Together"

There's No Chance for Empty-Stocking Tragedies 

On Christmas Morn to Blight the Faith of Childhood

By Patricia Rathbone

The article shares some really tough times for many families following the Great Depression. Many pleas for food and clothing are listed, much like today’s stories. If you want to be influenced to lend a hand this Christmas season, just read some of the Christmas Mother Fund stories in the Times Dispatch.