By Daniel Human
The usually deserted halls and offices adjoining an unused warehouse owned by General Motors Components Holding LLC bustled Tuesday morning, brightening what would be a bleak reminder of Kokomo’s economy.
“It’s a shame we’ve got all this empty space, but ...” said a smiling Kent Eaton, director of the company’s human resources department, as he looked around an abandoned office area filled with boxes of presents.
The boxes that took over the GM building were destined to help destitute families have a Christmas.
An estimated 300 volunteers arrived at the warehouse before sunrise Tuesday for the Kokomo Rescue Mission’s Red Ribbon Christmas Outreach.
Snow clung to volunteers’ woolen hats and hair as they spent the morning hoisting boxes into vans and pickup trucks, which in turn took their cargo to families around the Kokomo area.
Every box contained presents targeted toward ages and genders, as well as complete Christmas dinners.
The outreach program delivered boxes earlier this week to many of its families north of Kokomo in the Logansport area.
A total of 1,142 families signed up to receive boxes this year, which is about 100 more than last year, said Bebe Dorris, director of outreach for the mission.
The deliveries began about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Two hours later, John Cochran and his crew of teens and young adults from Bible Baptist Church walked into the building and dusted off the snow because the deliveries were gone.
Cochran, a youth pastor for the church, said he likes to take his youth group members around the area to volunteer. This was the second year the group helped with the Red Ribbon program.
“It’s sad what’s going on, but it’s great with what they’re doing here,” he said.
One of Kokomo’s largest businesses also joined in this year after years of trying.
In the four decades the Rescue Mission has had its Christmas outreach, Dorris said, the nonprofit had never been able to convince GM to loan the needed 15,000 to 20,000 square feet of storage needed for the gift boxes.
Instead, the mission found storage facilities that, often, were on the outskirts of Kokomo, she said.
When the mission would ask GM’s corporate office about borrowing space, the company would have concerns about safety or insurance, Eaton said.
“GM is realizing we depend on the community and good relations,” Eaton said. “I think the company is realizing this is the right thing to do.”
Pick-ups:
Families that signed up to receive a box from the Kokomo Rescue Mission’s Red Ribbon Christmas Outreach have a final chance to pick up their gifts today. Families can come to the mission, 321 W. Mulberry St., between noon and 3 p.m. to pick up their presents.
• Daniel Human is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He can be reached at 765-454-8570 or at daniel.human@kokomotribune.com
