A time to give

It has long been said thatChristmas is a time for giving, and even though the most common image we have of the secular side of the holiday is that of excited children receiving presents, many of us know that the saying is true. Seeing the joy in the face of a loved one who gets a gift brings a comparable delight to the giver.

Many Rio Grande Valley residents know the special feeling of knowing they made someone’s life better or eased their burden in some way. So many have offered aid, in various forms, when they’ve learned of people in need, whether it be from a sudden catastrophe like a hurricane or illness, or the effects of long-term unemployment. Some of those contributions have come in response to stories of their neighbors’ needs through this newspaper or other sources.

Those stories include our annual holiday series, "12 Days of Christmas," which we continue this year. Local service agencies have identified families and residents who have special needs, and we will present them in the following days.

The campaign has proved to be a great success. Valley residents have come through in ways that have helped not only the people whose stories appeared on our pages, but others who were experienced difficulties.

Each article will include contact information for those who can help. Feel free to contact them, even if you can’t meet the specific needs of the people we profile; they are only a few of the many people these agencies are working to help every day.

To those who do help, we join the recipients and the agencies in giving thanks. And we know that the givers will also receive that special feeling that comes with knowing they have helped their neighbor in a time of need.