A Reno business is partnering with a local nonprofit to help spread a little Christmas cheer this holiday season. The Emerson bar in Midtown and the Katie Grace Foundation have been collecting for the residents at Hope Springs, a tiny home housing project in Downtown Reno that's part of community health center, Northern Nevada HOPES.
"This is bridge housing, so we're a tight-knit community," said Benedict Kargbo, a peer support specialist there. "We support each other, so seeing people come in and get the resources they need, the wraparound services that HOPES provides, is absolutely extraordinary."
Local nonprofit, Katie Grace Foundation, has been helping the residents there for years.
"What we're all about is taking items from the community, from large retailers, and redistributing them to other nonprofits," said Nathan Jersey, the foundation's executive director. "So other nonprofits in the area that need items, such as Hope Springs, to help with their holiday events, we provide them with anything they need free of charge. The Katie Grace way is to give back."
This year The Emerson bar in Midtown Reno is sponsoring a giving tree to help collect gift cards and much-needed supplies for the 28 people that call Hope Springs home.
"We've partnered with Katie Grace Foundation, and we're still asking for other donations to help get things like gift cards, chains for their cars, shoes, warm socks," said Emerson Owner Tyler Colton. "There's a whole bunch of things the residents have asked for, so we're just trying to really help bring some holiday cheer and get some gifts under the tree they have here at Hope Springs. We're calling it the Giving Tree."
It's the first year for the program, but likely not the last.
"I think this is going to become an annual tradition," Colton said. "It's always so beautiful to be able to give back to this community."
Especially this time of year -
"I come from this community," Kargbo said "So me seeing the love and the commitment from the community to our residents is absolutely phenomenal, I'm so happy."
The Emerson is taking donations at their Midtown location and online until Saturday, December 23. There's a list of needed items on the website: https://www.theemersonreno.com/
