Interchurch Social Services of Knox County will begin its 2025 Christmas sign-ups on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at its Mount Vernon office located at 306 West Gambier Street. Registration will be open Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., through Oct. 31, except on Monday, Oct.14.
The annual program offers holiday support to families and individuals in need, providing food, clothing and gifts for children. Applicants are required to bring identification for all adults in the household, proof of residency, documentation of income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline, and proof of custody when applicable. Parents are also asked to list clothing sizes and toy suggestions for each child.
Assistance will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
Interchurch Social Services (ISS), a faith-based nonprofit, has been a cornerstone of community assistance in Knox County since 1968. The organization was founded with $1,000 donation from the Bexley Society, with its first office housed at St. Paul's Episcopal Church and staffed by Sister Ann Hinchon of Mercy Hospital. Over the decades, the organization has expanded to include offices in Centerburg, Fredericktown, and Danville, supported by a staff of 15 and close to 100 volunteers lending their time each week.
Since moving into its larger facility on West Gambier Street in 2009, Interchurch has continued to serve thousands of families each year through its thrift store, food pantry, and financial aid programs.
In April, ISS hosted an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its newly acquired location in Centerburg.
"Our presence in the community has sensitized our friends, neighbors, coworkers and employers to the issues of poverty and provides a forum for their response," ISS noted on its website. "In 1984, an editorial in the Mount Vernon News asserted 'Interchurch Social Services has done more to unite Knox Contains in serving humankind than any other agency.' That statement is as true today as it was 27 years ago."
