The Community Christmas Store

Office manager Lida Miles helps a customer shop at the Community Christmas Store.

Employees of Interactive Achievement took time out to get in the holiday spirit by volunteering at the Community Christmas Store of the Roanoke Valley. On Friday, December 11th several employees from IA and their family members participated in helping members of the community shop for the holidays. The Community Christmas Store (CCS) mission is to assist families in need in a dignified manner during the holiday season. The CCS goal is for recipient families to select their Christmas items according to the individual needs and preferences of each family member.

The CCS is a “homegrown” organization and concept operated solely by volunteers that work year-round to collect donations, hold fundraisers, and to find a generous building owner willing to donate the use of the building for the store during November and December. The volunteers shop for goods, assemble shelving, and stock the store. They review applications from potential shoppers, and purchase specifically for the needs, sizes, and ages of eligible applicants. The store is setup like a department store with separate departments for women, men, teens, children, babies, housewares, food, and toys. Volunteers take a customers around to each department that he/she is eligible for or work in a specific department and help load items into the customer’s. All customers receive an additional box of food upon their departure.