Each year since 2014, Olive Branch Ministries and CBF field personnel Scarlette Jasper have collected Christmas boxes to brighten the season for children in some of America’s poorest counties. Last Christmas season, over 3,000 Christmas boxes were collected by dedicated volunteers and distributed throughout Appalachia by Scarlette.
Boxes went to Pineknot Elementary in McCreary County, Ky.; East Bernstadt School in Laural County, Ky.; and Oneida Schools, Scott County, Tenn. The boxes are distributed through the school systems’ family resource centers by directors who know the children and their families. Additional boxes were distributed in south central Kentucky and east Tennessee as well.
The principal of Pine Knot Elementary School shared that these boxes may be the only gift some children will receive for Christmas. The Christmas boxes include both needed and fun items, like a $10 gift card (to purchase a clothing item), toiletries, gloves, hats, markers, coloring books, age-appropriate toys; Lego sets, Barbie with accessories, Hot Wheel sets, as well as books, art supplies, hair accessories, Slinkies, card games such as Uno or Apples to Apples, etc. for children, teens, seniors and families.
This project began when one of Scarlette’s Encourager churches, Living Faith Baptist Fellowship in Elizabethtown, Ky., approached her about the project. They wanted to continue a Christmas Box program but wanted to serve children in McCreary County, Ky. Before agreeing, Scarlette approached her school partners to see if the project was needed in the community.
That first year, Living Faith Baptist Fellowship was instrumental in distributing 75 boxes to at-risk high school students. Today, more than 3,000 Christmas Boxes are distributed with the support of multiple states and denominational partners. Partners from nine states contributed to the project in 2022.
The goal of the Christmas Boxes for Appalachia is not to grow in distribution numbers, even though that seems to happen each year. Adding distribution partners is left up to God’s leadership.
The ongoing goal is to improve the quality of the boxes distributed and serve those receiving the boxes. It is a catalyst for deeper, intentional ministry in the communities that are being served as well as a tangible way to show the love of Christ at Christmas and bring joy to the face of a child or senior who may otherwise be left feeling alone.