Century 21 Asa Cox Homes has always believed in the importance of giving back to the community and that is why I created Asa’s Angels a 501c3 non-profit organization approximately 14 years ago. This has all been possible because of the vast support that we receive from the community. We have other organizations, churches, businesses, volunteers and private donations who all contribute to make each programs a success year after year. Our three programs are Easter Basket drive, Back to school supplies drive and Christmas for kids outreach drive. We often have families reach out to us not only during our programs but all though out the year. We have helped many fire victims, those who have lost jobs or having housing issues. Most of the people we have been able to help have heard of us from word of mouth, our radio advertising or from our real estate transactions.
Our first program of the year is the Easter Basket drive. In this program we supply families in need with Easter baskets filled with candy and small gifts. Our team of volunteers spend weeks assembling and preparing the baskets to be ready for distribution day. In a normal year we give out anywhere from twenty-five hundred to three thousand filled baskets.
Our Back to school supplies drive is done in partnership with our local Salvation Army which Asa holds a seat on the board. In this program school supplies are collected and distributed to kids in the surrounding communities who are in need. In addition to all the basic school supplies the children also have the opportunity to receive book bags, clothes and shoes. Free haircuts, sports physicals and dental checks are also available thanks to the local doctors, dentist and hair stylist/barbers that volunteer their time in coordination with the program. This program helps approximately two thousand local children to be ready for their upcoming school year.
Finally, our largest program that we offer is our Christmas for kids outreach drive. This program has just exploded over the years. In the first year we provided fifty seven gifts and now we are over fourteen thousand gifts (a year!!) to our community children in need. We have a group of volunteers anywhere from our real estate agents to a motorcycle club and anyone in between. Our Volunteers help with anything from interviewing applicants in the fall all the way to the crazy distribution day when the families come to pick up the gifts. This program is meant for families who are in need and a thorough application process is performed. It starts with a family submitting an application on our web site. Due to the volume we can only help each family on an every other year basis. We then cross-reference the application with other charities in the community. Next every family comes in for an in-person interview where they supply copies of birth certificates and financial records. Lastly, they fill out a Santa wish list for each one of their children. We post the children’s wish lists throughout the community and call them angels. Individuals and businesses adopt most of our angels and purchase the gifts on their lists. All of the gifts are dropped off at our offices processed and packed, labeled and stored for distribution day. We also have shoppers who purchase the remaining gifts that are needed for all of our kids in need. In addition to all of the other gifts we give away hundreds of bikes.
In conclusion, Asa’s Angels is a true passion and a way that we can give back to the community that we all cherish and love within Lake, Ashtabula & Geauga Counties. Together, changing one life at a time!