Operation Holiday Impact

Jordan and I are blessed to have been a part of the mission that Operation Holiday Impact stands for. We always aspired to live generously and to positively contribute to our communities, and Operation Holiday Impact gave us a chance to not only donate and raise funds – but to actually participate and experience the act of giving to this magnitude. Last year we were able to surprise a sweet 4-year-old girl and her younger brother, 2-years-old, with a Christmas they were not expecting. When they walked in the room and saw that gifts awaited them and their parents, they radiated in pure joy and excitement. It has warmed our hearts and humbled us tremendously to have personally met some of the families that benefited from what Operation Holiday Impact had done and we are looking forward to continuously spreading hope and love in our communities.

By Amanda Grappone

Contribution commitment!

I grew up knowing that I SHOULD give to others. It always seemed like a nice idea, and something I knew I wanted to do, but coming from the background of being a professional dancer, I had a scarcity mindset. I consistently worried about my lack of both money and time to give to others who may have needed it more than I did. Operation holiday impact and the people who lead the charge of this cause taught me that if I don’t give when I have little, I won’t do it when I have abundance either. They showed me how to have faith in the principle that what I sow I will reap, and this completely changed my mindset in regards to giving. I want to give more than I feel I can, knowing with complete faith that God will match my efforts and then some! Being able to not only donate to this cause, but to also be a part of the teams that shopped and delivered the gifts to the families is more of a blessing than any tangible object I could receive. Thank you for making contribution a new Christmas tradition for me.

By Sarah Shelton

Act as a river, not a reservoir.

When we heard about the initiative Operation Holiday Impact, we knew that we wanted to contribute in making an impact in a family’s life. We had been blessed to be associated with an amazing group of people in our mentorship program and it was only right to pass on the blessing, like a river running through, and not keep it to ourselves, like a reservoir. The family we had been assigned to was a single father working 2 jobs with 3 teenage children who were in transition at the shelter due to temporary hardships. Organizing, spreading the word about the event, gathering donations, buying the presents, wrapping them up and giving the gifts - these were all amazing things to do. But I believe the most important part of this initiative was the ability to meet these people who were trying to make the most of their situation, look them in the eye, and encourage them that it will get better, that there are people who believe in them and their success. This is what our mentors had done in our lives and we just look to pass it on.

By Ryan Masajo

Holiday Spirit

During the holidays, we often get so caught up in navigating the various stresses of the season that it's easy to forget about all we have to be grateful for. The simple pleasures of family, friends, and the spirit of giving often get lost among all the parties and presents. Operation Holiday Impact gave my wife and I a chance to take the focus off of ourselves and reach out to friends and family to help others in need. Along with our team, Blitzen, were able to raise $1400 for the cause, buy presents for a family based on their wish list, wrap the gifts with our four-year-old twin daughters, and take them with us to the shelter to drop off all the presents. It not only felt great to give from the heart, but also to set an example of giving for my children who I think became a bit more appreciative of all the blessings they have in their life. In fact, I think we all did.

By Marc & Nellie Oromaner

Favorite time of the year!

The holiday season is my favorite time of the year! A time that is well spent with the people you love and creating everlasting memories. The holiday spirit is filled with love, joy and gratitude, where it’s a time to come together and fulfill everyone’s wishes. Operation Holiday Impact was an amazing experience to participate in; Being able to give and share the memories with families in need was a blessing! Coming together with people to impact lives, during a special season, was a profound moment that I will never forget. When we take the focus from ourselves and place it onto others, it becomes a pivotal realization that we need to help people more! If I can make a family’s Christmas special, just by giving my time and resources, then I’ll continue to invest a piece of me to those in need. I know this is only the beginning for Operation Holiday Impact. It will soon become a movement nationwide!

Yamillee Jeudy

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.

Proverbs 3:27

Operation Holiday Impact has been one of the most amazing experiences we have lived. Being able to gift hope and love to those who are in need is a blessing. We were able to sponsor a family who lost their home in a fire the day before Thanksgiving Day. Seeing their reactions once they realized that all the gifts we had were for them, completely filled us with joy. The kids were so thankful and couldn’t believe everything we were doing. Their father expressed to us that despite the struggle he was living, what we were doing with Operation Holiday Impact had given him a different perspective in life and taught him to be thankful regardless of the circumstances. That in its entirety, made Operation Holiday Impact a life changing! We are definitely looking forward to an impactful Operation Christmas 2018.

by Laura Cortes

Something I had always wanted to be a part of

Operation Holiday Impact was something I had always wanted to be a part of. Being someone who just started his walk with Christ this year, when I found out that the church that I attend and the mentorship program I am a part of teamed up to do this, I was so ready! I was very excited to give back to the less fortunate and show people that there is in fact still good in this world. People think the world is a cruel and unforgiving place. It was nice to give back on such a grand scale and show them that this world cares about them and that there are good people. You just need to associate with the right people.

by Alex Speranza