California Collection Agency Spreads the Magic of Christmas

Anticipation filled the air! The toys were displayed prominently at the front of the room.  Shoes, socks and sweatshirts were stacked and ready to be distributed. Neatly positioned place settings awaited the arrival of each special child.  Santa awaited their arrival too – anxiously looking forward to their smiles. At noon, the busses would arrive and the enchanted day would begin.

On December 14, 2013, Financial Credit Network (FCN) celebrated 30 years of sharing in the magic of Christmas through their participation in Ann’s Kids for Christmas. This event touches the lives of 300 children in the Central Valley of California. To make this event successful, FCN works alongside many other sponsors and volunteers.

Financial Credit Network’s support of the program began in the early 1980’s through their sponsorship of pizza. As time went on they increased their involvement by providing each child a new pair of shoes and three pairs of socks, as well as volunteering on the day of the event.  As each year passed, their heart and their involvement for this event increased.

In 2012, when the founding family announced to their volunteers and supporters that they would no longer be able to host the event, FCN owner, Alicia Sundstrom, spoke up. She did not want to see the event that touched so many lives come to an end. The legacy of program would continue with FCN taking the leadership role.

Back to December 14, 2013…

“Our hearts are so full! We can’t wait to see those 300 smiling faces,” exclaimed one volunteer. One by one the school buses pulled in and dropped off the excited little ones. The kids started off their fun filled day with pizza served to them for lunch. They were entertained by a face painting crew from the Delta Zeta sorority of Fresno State University, as well as special guest appearances by a local dance troupe, Kids Edition, and the A&W Bear. They also participated in singing Christmas carols including “The Grinch”! The most exciting moment, of course, was when the big man himself, Santa, flew in to give each child a special gift.

What an amazing day. All the smiles and the laughter filled the room. “This is the greatest day ever!” said one of the children.  Each child walked away with a bag of toys – some actually bigger than the child.

Ann’s Kids for Christmas 2013 was in the history books … another successful year serving the underprivileged children in the community.

For more information on how you or your company can get involved with Ann’s Kids for Christmas 2014 please contact Venita Jourdan at 800-540-9011 or vjour@fcnetwork.com or visit their web site at www.fcnetwork.com to see a video montage of the history of the event.