A Heartfelt Thank You for Making Christmas Gifts from LoLo 10th Anniversary Spectacular!

December 31, 2023

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

Dear Amazing Supporters,

As we bid farewell to 2023 and welcome 2024, I'm overflowing with gratitude for each one of you who made Christmas Gifts from LoLo's 10th Anniversary a monumental success! After three years of virtual celebrations, due to the global pandemic, we rejoiced in the magic of an in-person event, giving 516 children and their families precious moments of joy, all thanks to your incredible support.

Celebrating a Decade of Giving, Sharing, and Caring!

Under the sparkling lights of the Calvin Center, nestled in the Hungarian Reformed Church on Puritas Road, we commemorated a decade of joyous giving on December 17th. Our hybrid approach with two gift dates allowed us to spread the magic far and wide. This event, inspired by the incredible generosity of my mommy Loretta Hall, seeks to make Christmas a time of happiness for families in need. This year, we felt a renewed sense of togetherness after three years of virtual celebrations, continuing my mommy’s legacy of feeding families, providing Christmas gifts, and instilling hope during challenging times.

More Than an Event: Addressing Essential Community Needs

Christmas Gifts from LoLo is not just a holiday event; it's a testament to love, generosity, and togetherness. This year, we expanded our focus to address essential community needs beyond delightful gifts. Our focus included food insecurity, trauma recovery, mental health, and violence prevention. Your support has fostered resilience in the face of the global pandemic and the current youth mental health crisis.

Gratitude Beyond Measure!

I want to express my deepest thanks to:

I am thankful and grateful to God for using me as a vessel to serve Him and to be a servant leader and change agent in the community.

My Parents: John Hall and Loretta Hall - None of this would be possible without them.

HMI Board of Directors: Joliette Hall-Woods, Nikki Wilson, Aisha Taylor and RoseAda White. Thank you for your countless years of service, dedication, and loyalty to the movement and mission.

Sponsors: MyCom Cleveland, Jefferson-Puritas West Park CDC, West Park Kamm's Neighborhood Development, Cleveland Rovers Rugby Club, Toys for Tots, City of Cleveland Police, Verge and Blessed Trinity Catholic Church.

Individual Donors: Nancy Crawford, Howard Lichtig and Kitty ONeil, Nicola Vallozzi, Lovely Janae, Evanna Louise, Keith G. Sulzer, and a special thank you to Doris Anderson, a childhood friend of my Mommy, who donates and supports year after year.

Promotional Media Coverage: Thank you to WKYC Channel 3 and We the People for highlighting our event on your special Christmas segment - special thank you to @Roselyn Muniz, Margaret Bernstein and Leon Bibbs for having me. Thank you to Ariana Johnson for joining as my special guest and Tasharra Harper for sharing this amazing experience with me.

Program Lineup: Roselyn Muniz (host), Dyesha Darby (Keynote Speaker), Ariana Johnson (Keynote Speaker), Lady Stasya (special guest), John Hall (prayer), Malik Aziz (musical guest performer), Coco-Z (Dj) and Royal Sugarmamaz Sweetz Catering. Thank you Kimberly HIll and her staff at KZ Photo Xperience, your 360 booth experience added a delightful layer of joy to our celebration. Thank you to Rebirth Counseling and Therapy Services for providing a video for our audience on healthy mental health practices and coping for the holidays.

Event Production Leads: Aisha Taylor (HMI Chief Operating Officer), and a very special thank you to Alana Gallardo (Special Project Manager) who joined us 10 days prior to the event! Alana, your dedication to this project ensured the seamless execution of every detail, thank you!

A heartfelt thank you to all who dedicated their time to make this event a success.

Volunteers and Youth Ambassadors: Raquiyyah Taylor, Joseph Trumble, Sunny Trumble, Mark Trumble, Satne Hill, Nancy Crawford, Aa'liyah Wallace, Olivia White, Aisha Taylor, Patrick Fitzgerald, Demetrius Howard, Casey Tucker, Valerie Hopkins Tomesha Elam Walker, Darius Walker, Yandor Wright, John Hall, Malik Aziz, Stasya Hardrick, Tasharra Harper and special thanks to Brenda Pyror, Lanice McKinney from Mycom for helping serving dinner.

Video/Photography Production Team: A heartfelt thank you to Natasha Lehuanani Herbert and her production team, Dion Jackson and Tyler R. Lobdell, for capturing the essence of our celebration.

Heartfelt Thanks to Our Guests: Last but not least, a resounding thank you to our guests for allowing us to share a magical holiday experience with you and your children. We eagerly anticipate connecting with you throughout the new year with our other program offerings.

As we welcome 2024, may this season of giving, sharing and caring continue to resonate in our hearts, lighting the way for a brighter future.

God bless you all, and Happy New Year!

With heartfelt gratitude,

Chinetha L. Hall

Chief Executive Officer, President