Coco’s Christmas Party aims to help those in need

The LeMoyne Community Center is helping people experiencing financial hardship celebrate the Christmas season with Coco’s Christmas Party Friday at the center from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Executive Director Joyce Ellis said the event will include a Christmas dinner and free gifts for everyone who attends.
Coco’s Christmas aims to provide holiday gifts and a meal for the area’s working poor who do not qualify for local assistance programs.
A variety of gifts ranging from new and gently used clothing, toys, houseware items, cellphones with free minutes, live Christmas trees and health and beauty products will be available for those who attend.
“We decided to open this to the community, and we’re trying to get people who don’t qualify for free programs, our working poor, to attend,” said Ellis.
It is the second year for the event.
Ellis said nearly 400 people attended last year’s Coco Christmas.
Ellis came up with the idea after a Coco Bucks reward program she started for children who attend programs at LeMoyne Community Center turned into a pay it forward event.
Children could earn Coco Bucks, named after Ellis’s dog, and buy rewards at the Coco Store, which was open twice a year.
Kids ended up buying gifts for others less fortunate than they were, in the spirit of the pay it forward concept.
“That melted my heart,” said Ellis. “I was quite surprised at the amount of Coco Bucks they were spending on others. I asked them why they were doing that, and kids were saying, ‘I want to help somebody else because I know what it’s like to be poor.'”
Ellis decided to expand the program and open the event to the public.
Nazareth Baptist Church will hold a diaper giveaway during the party.
LeMoyne Center is preparing enough food for about 600 people.
“My biggest prayer is that items don’t run out, I’m just putting it up to God,” said Ellis.
Attendees are asked to bring a bag to carry gifts.
For additional information, call the LeMoyne Community Center at 724-228-0260 or email thelmcc1956@gmail.com.