Urban League takes extra step up, provides gifts for families

ELYRIA — The Lorain County Urban League took an extra step to help some clients through the holiday season this year. The organization selected some families it helped serve this year, whether through rental assistance or some other service, and provided them with gifts for Christmas. Director of Outreach and Community Engagement Dee Baker said some of the families served have multiple children, and the Urban League wanted to step in and help. Families were picked based on how old the children were and how many children were in the home. The Urban League delivered the gifts to some families or families came in and picked them up. Baker said they talked to each parent to figure out what the child wanted for Christmas to make the gifts personal, and then also selected some generic gifts based on age. Volunteers for the Urban League then bought the gifts. Gifts were funded by the Women's Fund and several local churches. Through COVID-19, Baker said the Urban League has been working to get people placed in jobs and has offered rental assistance to families in need. Although a federal eviction moratorium has been put in place to prevent evictions based on nonpayment of rent, tenants can still be evicted for breaking any part of a lease. And the moratorium is slated to expire at the end of the year with no replacement in sight. The Urban League has also been providing job placement services. Kashala Smith works with clients to help them get a job. Smith said she's helped almost 100 people get placed into jobs this year, and the Urban League is looking to double that next year. Baker said the Urban League continues to receive many calls for assistance. Giving gifts to some of their clients was just one small thing they could do, Baker said. "It's a season to be jolly and it's a season to give," she said. "And we believe it's better to give than to receive. And when you're struggling, when your family is struggling just to survive, toys are a secondary thought. But we want to put a little merry in their Christmas. Everyone deserves to have hope." Contact Laina Yost at (440) 329-7121 or lyost@chroniclet.com.