Friendship House Christmas Parties

Caring partners join with CRI
to bring joy to the neighborhood

Click here to see a photo gallery from a few
of our 2009 Friendship House Christmas parties

For release: Dec. 30, 2009

Squeals of delight came from our Friendship Houses during the 2009 Christmas parties, as churches, service groups, businesses and other caring partners teamed with CRI to bring a touch of joy to children in low-income, high-crime neighborhoods. The volunteer Christmas angels included people like NSU nursing instructor Tanya Parker, who gave monogrammed pillowcases to the girls and toys to the boys at a Bossier City Friendship House.

"My husband and I don't have kids and we love kids. We want to do something that will make a difference. We are planting seeds that will give them self-confidence and let them know people care for them," she says. 

Members of the Young Professionals Initiative sponsored parties in Shreveport's Allendale neighborhood.

"We just want to give back to the community. We want to help make it stronger and being a part of something like this makes us feel more connected," said Chairman Tammy Rhodes. "I'd rather do this than almost anything. Seeing these smiles makes it worthwhile."