There is nothing better than watching a child open a Christmas gift on Christmas morning. For some children, getting up on Christmas morning to find presents wrapped under the tree is not a reality.

A total of 155 local foster children may not have the opportunity to have a normal Christmas through of government funding. In order for these kids to have any kind of Christmas at all, they must receive donations from the community.

The Chilton County Department of Human Recourses has a special program called Christmas Wishes. Through this program, people can donate money, gift cards or items to the child in foster care.

“We have been blessed in the past by the number of citizens in Chilton County who have participated in the Christmas Wishes program and who have helped give to the foster children,” DHR director Marilyn Colson said.

Besides giving a donation, you can also chose to sponsor a child or two.

This is where you are given a specific wish list of a child, and you have the opportunity to buy all or some of the items that the child wants.

Anyone interested in lending a helping hand to DHR should contact Colson at 280-2000 by phone or marilyn.colson@dhr.alabama.gov by email.

All checks that are written should be made out to the Chilton DHR Foster Children’s Fund.

“We want to make sure that these kids have everything that they would normally get from a stable home situation. Every little bit helps and we are great full for anything that people can donate,” Colson said.