LifeLinks Your Connection to Mental Health and Wellness

Our Twelve Wishes for Christmas

Dear Santa,

LifeLinks and its employees have been very busy this past year.  We served over 2,600 people including more than 700 children.  As a not for profit community mental health center, we followed our mission and provided $790,000 in free and reduced mental health care for individuals and families in our community.  But, Santa, we could use some help! Demand for our services is up and resources to provide them are down.  So, we thought we would write you a letter and ask for some help making our twelve wishes for Christmas come true.

(Click on images to see a larger version)

wish 1 Our first wish for Christmas is new volleyball net and ball or bag toss game could help our child consumers stay active while learning about taking turns and socializing with other kids and adults.  Santa, we know that it would only take one of your elves in the community to make this wish come true!
wish 2 Our second wish for Christmas is for heavy duty outdoor patio furniture and benches for our two residential group homes and Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program meeting area.  Private seating allows our consumers a place to sit and talk with other consumers who are struggling with the challenges of living with a mental health issue.  Santa, might we see patio furniture under our tree?
wish 3 and 4 Our third wish for Christmas is that skilled painters bring durable, washable paint to help us update our children’s waiting area, common areas, offices, and hallways in the main and Psychosocial Rehabilitation buildings and meeting rooms.  Over 15,000 consumers have been served in our building over the past six years and some of our walls could use attention.  Santa, is it true that the joy of Christmas time comes more from giving than receiving?
wish 3 and 4 Our fourth wish for Christmas is for new twin mattresses, mattress pads, soft sheets, and comfy blankets for our residential group homes.  How wonderful it would it be, Santa, for our consumers to have new comfortable bedding as they go to sleep and await your arrival on Christmas Eve!
wish 5 Our fifth wish for Christmas is for new toys and therapeutic games and curriculum to use in our work with children.  Last year, LifeLinks served 733 youngsters, some as young as 3!  Since kids can’t always talk about what is troubling them, play and toys allow them to express themselves.  Oh, Santa, help us reach the children through therapeutic play!
wish 6 Our sixth wish for Christmas is for art supplies – crayons, washable paints, large drawing pads, construction paper and other craft items.  Santa, please remember that art allows our consumers – young and old – to creatively express their thoughts and emotions!
wish 7 Our seventh wish for Christmas is for a new microwave!  This common kitchen appliance would be used to help teach our adult consumers how to cook nutritious meals for themselves!  We want all of our adult consumers to live independently and productively in our community!  Come on, Santa, ring the microwave bell at LifeLinks!
wish 8 Our eighth wish for Christmas is for gas cards for our consumers many of whom struggle with trying to pay for a place to live or buy food for their families.  When a child is hospitalized out of town for a severe emotional problem (because there are no psychiatric inpatient beds in Coles County for children), parents often lack funds to put gas into the car to go see their son or daughter.  Oh, Santa, I can’t imagine how bad I would feel all alone in a hospital knowing that Mommy and Daddy can’t come to see me.  Please, Santa, please… would some kind person consider donating gas cards?
wish 9 Our ninth wish for Christmas is for retractable awning for our group home in Charleston.  Because we had to take out shade trees this past summer, our consumers no longer have a sheltered space to be alone and just enjoy the great outdoors and the wonder of nature.  Santa, there must be someone our community who wants shed some shade on this wish!
wish 10 Our tenth wish for Christmas is for donations to fund six (6) mobile therapy bags!  Just like a doctor’s bag contains the “tools of the trade” these bags will include portable games and therapy supplies to use in working with our child consumers!  Oh, Santa, help us help the children!
wish 11 Our eleventh wish for Christmas is for financial contributions to help us maintain our operations.  Santa, you know that the State of Illinois has been late paying some of their bills and has cut back on some funding for mental health services. Yet, the need and the demand for our services continues to grow!  As a 501 c 3 not for profit community mental health agency, please help community members to understand that the contribution would be tax deductible and greatly appreciated.
wish 12 Finally, our twelfth wish for you, Santa, and your many helpers throughout Coles County, is mental and physical health!  We wish you productive lives shared with people you love!  We also want you to know that LifeLinks is here, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help you.  Please, Santa, keep our crisis line number (1-866-567-2400) close at hand to share with anyone who needs someone to talk with.  Help community members to pick up the phone and call our Access Center (238-5700) to get information on our services.  And, Santa, have a Merry Christmas yourself!  If you make even one of our twelve wishes come true, we will be truly blessed!

For more information on how to donate any of the items listed above, or to give a monetary donation to LifeLinks, please call our Executive Director, Lynette Ashmore, or our Director of Communications and Development, Debby Cook, at (217) 238-5700.

LifeLinks Mental Health
750 Broadway Avenue East
Mattoon, Illinois 61938
(217) 238-5700