Posted Sunday, December 10, 2017 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Consumer guru Clark Howard has managed to provide gifts every year for every foster child in Georgia for 27 years through his annual Clark Christmas Kids drive each year on News 95.5 and AM 750 WSB.
He is often nervous before the conclusion, fretting that his listeners may not come through.
This year is no different. Unfortunately, the snow that arrived on Friday forced him to cancel events at Wal-Marts in Milton and Buford that can't be made up . There were 10 scheduled events at Wal-Marts across the region over 11 days, including the one I visited in Duluth Saturday afternoon. (It was postponed three hours and extended until 5 p.m. to accommodate the snow.)
Dave Baker, home of the Home Fix It Show on WSB, joined Howard Saturday. Both have been at WSB for more than a quarter century.
UPDATE 12/13/2017: Good news! Clark Howard told Eric Von Haessler today that people contributed enough money to ensure they can get gifts to all the foster children this Christmas after all. A Christmas miracle!
Howard said the opioid crisis has broken apart families at an alarming rate in Georgia, which has seen its foster child population skyrocket in the past few years. In 2015, there were 6,800. Last year, that number jumped to 8,500. This year? A record 9,100.
Folks who show up at Wal-Marts can sift through sheets in which each foster child - from infants to 17 year olds - requests three gifts. People purchase those gifts and then hand them to the volunteers.
Over the past three years, he has gotten a major boost from the Society of St.Vincent de Paul, which coordinates volunteers, collection of the gifts and distribution to the children statewide. Howard said more kids have had to be placed in less than ideal group homes because there are not enough foster families.
Howard said his drive really needs the generosity of his listeners to come through so no kids are disappointed come Christmas day.
Here are details for the final two collection sites. Howard is scheduled to appear at the Marietta site tomorrow if you want to meet him in person. You can also donate online here.
- Sunday, December 10: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Cobb Pkwy – 210 South Cobb Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060
- Sunday, December 10: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Lawrenceville – 4004 Lawrenceville Highway NW, Lilburn, GA 30047
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
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