For the past three years employees at Manitowoc Walk-In Division have demonstrated that Christmas is about giving to others without expecting something in return. Employees have overwhelmingly showed support for the children at the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse. Each year in December the employees have sponsored these under privilege children by providing their Christmas Wish List. Most of these children would have been without presents if it had not been for the employees. The Carl Perkins Center reaches out to families in need to provide support in all areas of their lives to prevent and stop child abuse. The Center not only focuses on assisting the family in preventing child abuse but they also provide for the basic needs of the individuals. | 
Shown in photo: Troy VanFleet, Stephanie Wilkerson, and Trina Harris |
There are countless stories of how the Carl Perkins Centers have reached out to help families at no charge. An example was a letter from a lady that a local center had assisted. The letter was filled with gratefulness. The author of the letter stated that her drug addiction took her so far down that no one will ever know just how far. She said she was blessed with counselors and people who believed in her when she didn’t believe in herself. She thanked the Center for supporting her mother who had custody of her children. She stated that she didn’t think her mother could have made it as well without the Center. She finished the letter stating that she now had her kids back, a job, and would be honored to be able to volunteer at the Center or help in any way.
Due to the struggling economy the Center received more requests for help in 2009 than ever before. Clay Jordan, the Director of the Center, made the following statements in his letter to the Manitowoc employees: “Amidst all the struggles I have definitely witnessed something that is thriving during these hard times: the kindness and generosity of people like you. Please take comfort in knowing that because of you, they have a blessed Christmas morning to look forward to as they race to the tree to see what Santa left for them. And what a gift it is for these parents to know that there are people in our community who truly care about them and their children. I don’t believe you could give a greater gift than that.”
