BRAZOS VALLEY, TX — A Facebook group that began to help spread some Christmas cheer has grown into something much bigger than they ever intended.
”We thought, let’s just give back, let's do Christmas," said Amber Robertson, the Founder of Brazos Valley Blessings. "I got a couple of my friends together, and they were like, yeah we'll donate, we'll help, we'll do this, we'll support you in any kind of way, and it kind of just blew up,”
After a very tough year, Robertson felt it in her heart this past Christmas, to help those in her community that maybe couldn’t help themselves, and from there, Brazos Valley Blessings was created: a Facebook group that brings the community together to help thy neighbor.
”To be able to work in an economy, where you know, my neighbor may be struggling," said Robertson. "They may not be comfortable to say like, I'm struggling, I need help. What this group has done, is allowed me to be the voice for the voiceless,”
The Brazos Valley Blessings group helped about 30-40 families this past Christmas. Following the event, there was still a huge community interest to keep the page going.
”I’m so thankful that my prayers led me somewhere," said Stephanie Velasco, a mother who has benefited from Brazos Valley Blessings. "It was exactly what I was looking for at the time I was looking for it. And it really was like the page says, a blessing,”
Stephanie looks forward to the day she will be in the position, to pay forward, the many blessings she, and her family, have received through this community support group.
”There’s still people out there, willing to help others who aren't in the best of situations, and if nothing else, it just helps to sort of reaffirm that I'm not alone,” Velasco added.
Today, they continue to be a voice for those who may feel alone. The group has since held food drives, one of which, where the community came together to donate over 800 lbs of food and $350 to purchase necessities.
Since December, the group has been able to help those struggling to keep their lights on by covering their utility bills through donations.
”Every day, there is a need, every single day," said Robertson. "Just this morning alone, I woke up to four messages of families needing assistance for a phone bill, an electricity bill, rent, and it’s all donation-based,”
The Brazos valley blessings organization hopes to continue serving the community and would like to raise the funds to establish themselves as nonprofit organization in the near future.