Monaco Miracles 2006

Monaco Miracles, Indiana recently held its 2006, 7th annual Toys for Tots raffle to benefit the Family and Christian Development Center in Nappanee.  The FCDC serves the Wa-Nee school district served by Nappanee and Wakarusa, as well as a four-county area around Nappanee and Wakarusa.  Some of the services that the FCDC provides in the Wa-Nee area are baby wellness checks, a vaccine program for infants and children, a food pantry, medication assistance, rent assistance and utility assistance.  They have recently expanded into Elkhart, St. Joseph, Marshall and Kosciusko counties with a new program designed to promote marriage and family.  According to Joan Andrews, Executive Director, people typically view the communities of Nappanee and Wakarusa as fairly well-to-do communities.  The reality is that there is a level of people in these communities that really struggle to survive.  It can be either be stress from economics, or physical or emotional hardships.  It can be real hard on the children.  “Children really don’t understand and can’t fully comprehend what is happening to their family when something bad happens, either economically or emotionally the way adults do”, says Mrs. Andrews.  “Our center helps to provide services to benefit both the children and the family unit as a whole.”
 
The Toys for Tots raffle held by the Monaco Miracles in Indiana raised $4,934.  Monaco Miracles contributed an additional $1,700.  An additional $1,000 was raised through various raffles during the year and was used to purchase $20 gift cards from Wal-Mart and Kohls for the FCDC to give out to pre-teen and teenage children.  “The gift cards are such a wonderful idea”, noted Mrs. Andrews, “Young boys and girls who get these cards are able to go into a store and purchase a whole new outfit for themselves, or purchase a Christmas present for a family member or a parent that they maybe wouldn’t be able to otherwise do.  We are so thankful for the generosity of the employees of Monaco Coach to help us do the good work in our communities.”