Thanks to several large financial donations from local churches, businesses and individuals, the Cumberland Christmas Mother is stocked up and ready to help others supplement their Christmas morning with gifts for the children of Cumberland County.

For the pasts several months, Christmas Mother collection jars have been placed at various establishments in Cumberland County, many individuals and organizations have received Christmas Angels to provide gifts for specific children and families, bicycles have been donated by individuals within the county and through the Richmond Area Bicycling Association and fundraisers through various churches have taken place in order to assist families in the county.

According to a press release, the work is just beginning though and the opportunity to help out is still ongoing.

Bear Creek State Park will be holding its annual “Lights at the Park” from Dec. 15-17 where folks can bring a gift for the Christmas Mother program, or make a donation, for entrance into the park.

The give away/pick up dates will be Dec. 15 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Cumberland Community Center, 71 Community Center Drive.

The Senior Luncheon that is open to senior adults in the community will be held on Dec. 14 at 1 p.m. at Payne Memorial Methodist Church, 50 Stoney Point Road.

Nearly 100 Senior Gift bags will be distributed or picked up through the Cumberland area during the week of Dec. 18.

Gifts and donations are accepted year round for the program.

To make a donation, make checks payable to Cumberland County Department of Social Services, DSS, Christmas Mother in the memo section and mail to P.O. Box 33, Cumberland, VA 23040. Or drop off gifts, new items only, at Cumberland DSS, 71 Community Center Drive, Cumberland). However the deadline to return applications to be a recipient has passed.

“Thanks to the generosity of so many community partners and supporters, at present the Christmas Mother program will be servicing roughly 137 families encompassing 267 children and youth this Christmas season,” officials said in the release.