OPERATION HOLIDAYS

from GROW | Della Lamb's 2022 Impact Report

A GROWING MENU A GROWING TEAM

The success of Operation Holidays was a testament to the generosity and kindness of our community. Thanks to the support from volunteers, donors, and our event sponsor The Bacchus Foundation, Della Lamb provided holiday meals via grocery gift cards, warm clothes for children, and gifts for each family member to nearly 400 families

Preparing hundreds of holiday bags is not easy, and we are thankful for the hard work of volunteers who came weeks in advance to prepare families' orders. During the 2day drive-thru event, even more volunteers dedicated several hours to delivering the holiday bags to families' cars, providing a dignified experience for all involved.

The event was made even more special by the presence of several Afghan clients who carpooled and drove up in their own cars to receive their family's items. It was inspiring to see how quickly many of them were able to achieve selfsufficiency, own cars, and have driver's licenses. In total, 1,140 individuals were served, including 533 children. Most of our refugee clients were experiencing their first winter in Kansas City in 2022 and celebrating with classically American traditions was a fun and meaningful experience for them

Our 50th Operation Holidays was made possible by the hard work and dedication of volunteers, and it was a true demonstration of the power of the community coming together for a common cause to bring joy and happiness to those in need during the holiday season.

Registrations

Many in our neighborhood know to register for OH each fall, while new Della clients learn about it from their teachers or case workers. It's all hands on deck to ensure the families who benefit from this event are registered. We even host a neighborhood registration day with volunteers and translators to ensure as many people sign up as possible.

Design Wishlist

We believe the gift of choice is as important as the gift itself, that's why we let the parents decide what type of gift their child would love the most. Our Wishlist is designed with our clients in mind and then shared with Della Lamb supporters who can select exactly which gifts they'd like to send to our families. More than 230 gifts came directly from donors.

PREPARE & DELIVER

Volunteers are the backbone of Operation Holidays. They fill the bags according to the registration form, select the appropriate clothing sizes, audit each bag, and eventually deliver the bags to clients' cars. Hundreds of volunteers help each year, demonstrating the power of community and the willingness to give back to those in need.