Love INC makes Christmas gifts possible to children in need

LACONIA — For half a decade, Christian nonprofit Love In the Name of Christ, or Love INC, has provided Christmas presents to children and families in need through its Christmas Blessings Project.

“Its not about the Christmas gifts, that's the small part,” said Love INC Executive Director Ron DeDucca. “With Love INC, the whole idea is to offer a hand up, not just a handout. We will help people this year, walk beside them throughout the whole year. We're trying to get them up from where they are at this point.”

Over the years, DeDucca said many former recipients have taken on volunteer roles. Many were seen manning tables Friday night at the Living Hope Church on Fairmont Street.

When a family reaches out to ask for help, part of the process is an intake session during which volunteers help assess a family's specific financial station.

“For instance, someone calls in because they can't afford Christmas presents for their kids. We have a 45-minute intake to get to the root of that problem,” DeDucca said. "With that we want to go deeper and say 'How are we going to help you further? Why can't you afford Christmas presents for your children?' Sometimes it's situational, generational, we can go on and on. Our idea is to show Christ-like love and actually help work with them so maybe next year they're volunteering to help others in need.”

Volunteers last week staffed tables loaded with donated gifts inside the church's basketball court. Love INC also offered a room for story time and crafts for children, and a room where families could pose for a professional Christmas-style portrait.

After speaking with volunteers, parents circle the tables, picking out a few gifts for their children and themselves. Once mom and dad are done, the kids go in to pick out gifts for each of their parents.

Gift cards were also available for purchase by families, who only had to put up 10% of the card's value.

Needless to say, it takes much more than just one organization to pull off this level of local philanthropy.

"We're working with 19 partner churches across denominational lines to help people,” DeDucca said. “It's not one church, it's 19 coming together. It's not are you Catholic, Baptist, we're all here to show Christ-like love.”

Friday night, 41 families and 101 children were signed up for the program, but DeDucca estimates as many as 120 children will end up benefiting from the effort.

Among those families were the Sturtevants of Franklin.

“It's pretty good, it's a nice outfit. Brings hope,” said Matt Sturtevant, who attended the event with his wife and four children. As the family of six left the church with bags of wrapping paper and gifts, Sturtevant said he hopes the organization can reach even more people.

“Its good to have Christmas spirit and hope and just have stuff given to you,” Sturtevant said. “It's nice to have people care.”