Candy Cane Lane will appear like magic for a second year, just in time for Waynesburg’s Holiday Open House on December 2. For a few happy hours, Church Street will be transformed, bedecked with brightly lit booths offering an array of family friendly services to consider. Kids who come here looking for treats from the Corner Cupboard van or a chance to high five the Grinch will also find presents galore when they finally arrive at CASA office at the end of the block to shop for free gear as they bundle up for winter.
Office rooms will be set up to be a Macys with goodies in every room, where “kids can pick out whatever they want – hoodies, coats, hats, gloves, boots and shoes,” CASA director Houser said. “They get a shopping bag when they walk through the door and it’s open to all Greene County kids. This year we’ve added pajamas.”
The inspiration for this shopping spree came during the “train wreck of 2020” Houser said. When the nation was in lockdown with COVID-19, classes were online and children in need could only be reached by phone or Zoom, county human services agencies and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) were worried that kids they advocated for were falling through the cracks.
Houser, who became Director of CASA in January 2020, three months before Pennsylvania’s lockdown on March 13, knows the troubling statistics.
“On any given day there are 100 kids in the system. Greene County is in the top five per capita rate in the state from generational poverty and now drugs.”
As winter approached, Houser got busy setting up the first Children’s Winter Gear Distribution in his office with more than a little help from his friends in the agencies, nonprofits, churches and organizations that support area families. Distribution was held in the CASA office during Holiday Open House 2020, but those who came to shop walked down an ever-darkening, undecorated Church Street to get to CASA’s door.
Candy Cane Lane was dreamed up the next year during a collaborative brainstorming session with Greene County Tourism director JoAnn Marshall, Greene County United Way Director MaChal Forbes recalls. “Tourism wanted to include local nonprofit organizations as a way to raise awareness and increase end-of-year giving. They reached out to ask us to invite our Community Partner agencies and seven showed up. Candy Cane Lane was a huge success – we had people up and down the street all evening.”
Candy Cane Lane made its debut with United Way, CASA, Cornerstone Care, Corner Cupboard, Domestic Violence Services and the Salvation Army on the street and Corner Cupboard’s Grinch on hand to show the way CASA’s office.
“To add to the fun this year, the nonprofits are lighting up Candy Cane Lane with themed booths – their favorite Christmas movies,” Forbes said.
Houser is happy to report that to date more than 250 children have shopped his pop up department store that depends solely on community support.
“We can do so much more when we work together,” Houser said.
CASA’s collaborators include Loved Again Charities of SWPA, Greene County United Way, Domestic Violence Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters, FFA, Safe Parenting, Salvation Army, Corner Cupboard Food Bank and First Assembly Church.
Harvey’s Aleppo Grange became a Guardian Angel Donor in October when it gave $1000 to help CASA match the $10,000 challenge grant Iron Synergy is offering. Iron Synergy is also sponsoring this year’s Winter Gear Drive.
The grant will be used to provide best-interest advocacy to Greene County’s most vulnerable children, Houser said. Part of that advocacy includes CASA shopping online for the best bargains in boots and shoes in every size to fill in the gaps in what is donated by the community.
Donations of new and gently used winter necessities for children from birth to age 18 can be dropped off at CASA during business hours and checks to fill those gaps in shoe and clothing sizes are greatly appreciated. Monetary donations between now and December 2 will be part of the matching grant.
FMI, to donate or volunteer, call CASA during county business hours: 724-802-7347.