Four years
ago, our MIIS community started participating in a “Gift
of Giving” Event which benefits the Monterey County Migrant Farm
Workers.  The Non-Profit organization that runs this generous project is
called “The Christmas Project” which was established in 1978 by a woman named
Gladys Anderson located in Watsonville. The
Christmas Project began in 1978 in response to the needs of many children in
Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, including children served by Child Protective
Services. The story goes that Gladys Anderson met Maria, a twelve-year-old girl
who wanted a doll for Christmas. She had never had a doll and her mother could
not afford to buy one. After telling her office about Maria, a colleague
brought a doll to work. Gladys’ children gathered toys to share, and The
Christmas Project was born. Since that time, people from the community have
volunteered countless hours to help with the Christmas Project. Their
word-of-mouth efforts have brought Christmas joy to so many!!

Gladys has
since moved to Las Vegas, but has a commitment to keep up this tradition and
thus comes down every year in December to coordinate this wonderful community
effort. This project has fulfilled thousands upon thousands of dreams and
wishes come true and provided gifts and smiles to children and families in
need.  Last year alone they brightened the lives of over 2,100 children
and adults.

The Christmas Project provides toys, gifts, and food certificates to
children in need. Each family member has the opportunity to make their
Christmas wish request. In addition to gifts each family is given a food
certificate to help brighten their Christmas meal. Volunteers deliver the
beautifully wrapped gifts to the residents of the migrant labor camps in
Monterey/Santa Cruz County.

This year,
through our MIIS community’s heartwarming generosity and good heartedness, we
transformed the lives of 98 children and adults.  In the past 4 years, we
have helped make it possible for this program to bring such joy to nearly 500
children and their families!

This is a
community event that I hope to continue for as long as I am here at MIIS and
that when the day comes, that I am no longer here, it will be an honor to be
the liaison for the project or pass the torch so that the event that has
brought such great joy to our community, can be carried in wonderful and joyful
service!! 

Naomi
R. Braswell

Operations Coordinator | Office Services & Gift Shop | MIIS
Landlord Housing Info

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

Phone: 831-647-4120 or 831-647-3572

Email: miishousinginfo@miis.edu  or
nbraswell@miis.edu