When Amanda arrived at Kohls with her lodge mates last week for YBGR’s annual Secret Santa shopping trip, she was overwhelmed. She had never gone shopping at a store where the clothes were new. Everything she owned was a hand-me-down or from a garage sale or Goodwill. It all felt too good to be true. Why would some stranger want her to have money to spend on herself for new clothes and shoes?
Amanda didn’t even know where to start. She had a list of what she needed and asked her staff shopping partner Misty for help. Together, the two hit the clearance racks and got Amanda everything on her list and then some. As they were checking out, Amanda started to cry when she saw all her items with their new tags and unfaded logos. She couldn’t stop thanking everyone.
“I never knew that people could be so generous, to care that I had new clothes and a Merry Christmas, and not want something back from me. I don’t know these people and they don’t know me, but they wanted me to feel special and have a good day. It was like what Misty said in our first Bible study about Jesus’ love being unconditional. Some people love like that, and I want to as well,” said Amanda. Thanks to all our donors who made sure Amanda and other youth in the residential program have a Merry Christmas!
*For the privacy of the youth served at the Ranch, names have been changed. Image(s) shown here are a representation of those served at the Ranch.
