BUNNELL, Fla. – When you enter Begin Again Home Goods in Bunnell this time of year, you’re greeted by a winter wonderland.
Holiday decorations and knickknacks fill the resale store. Christmas music floats through the air.
Tucked away in the back corner, Nadine King is surrounded by a different kind of trimming. Notebooks and paperwork are sprawled out on her desk. This is crunch time for her nonprofit, Christmas Come True.
“This is my version of the North Pole, yes,” King laughed.
Every year since 2009, she’s helped struggling families get through the holidays with clothing, gifts, toys and dinners.
“It’s my labor of love,” King said. “I sit here and try to imagine that these kids are all going to feel very excited on Christmas morning.”
Each year, she places Christmas trees at businesses around Flagler County. Each one is decorated with traditional ornaments, but they also have wish cards attached from pre-qualified families.
The lists include everything from toys and games to food and hygiene items. Families are able to include style and color preferences as well.
“I just makes it very personal,” King said. “People get very excited when they can buy presents for a child and know that it’s going to make such a difference in a child’s life.”
King said she saw a need in 2009 when the economy crashed and people were struggling.
“This started out of my guest bedroom 11 years ago,” King said.
Today, dozens of volunteers help wrap and sort the gifts as the Christmas deadline approaches.
During the 2018 Christmas season, Christmas Come True helped 153 families, including 457 children.
King’s second-hand store helps support the holiday project, but the giving is a year-round activity. Christmas Come True provides furniture and home goods. The store also helps with utility bills and more.
“We’re a bridge. We’re a bridge between people that have things to give, whether it’s money or clothing or donations, anything like that,” King said. “And then we give it to families that are in need.”
King was nominated for the News 6 Getting Results Award by volunteer Joe Golan, who has helped assemble bicycles for the organization since 2014.
“It’s not just a one-day project. It’s an all-year project,” Golan said. “She’s got the best organization going. Tons of volunteers. It all goes back to the kids and the families in need.”
Last year, Golan and other volunteers helped assemble many of the 187 bikes that were given away.
“What Christmas Come True is, is it’s a feeling. It’s who we are supposed to be as human beings,” King said when asked about the organization’s impact. “We’re supposed to take care of each other we’re supposed to surround our neighbors with love.”