The Queen Louise Home for Children has announced that it was blessed on Tuesday, December 6 with a highly anticipated visit from the Hurricane Hunters 403 Maintenance Group. Queen Louise said it has received support and resources from this group for over twelve years.

Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Gulfport, Mississippi held a toy drive to ensure that Christmas at the facility is nothing short of magical. Master Sergeant Alejandro Negron, Master Sergeant Jay Homerbocker, and Chief Master Sergeant Jeremy Lemieux all came bearing toys that encompassed the entire back wall of our Queen Louise Home auditorium, according to the release.

Gifts ranging from barbie dolls, coloring books, board games, Lego toys, learning pads, and more, filled every bag on the floor and every square inch of our community table. With new precautions following the pandemic, visits from the 403 Maintenance Group had to be limited, but the facility expressed gratitude for their return this year and to continue the tradition.

“We thank Senior Master Sergeant Crystal Jones-Watkins, Pastor Raymond Alexander, Shelia Alexander, Marlene Hayes, and Alfred Watkins for hosting this toy drive and sharing all of these wonderful gifts,” said the Queen Louise Home.

Queen Louise Home CEO Junia John-Straker, stated, “We were extremely elated for the return of the Hurricane Hunters to the Queen Louise Home for Children. We are grateful for their continued partnership in enhancing the lives of children in our programs on St. Croix. Thank you for the toys that we will happily share not only with children in our care, but also with children outside of our programs.

“From the bottom of our hearts, we want to say thank you from St. Croix all the way to Mississippi!”

Queen Louise Home for Children is a 24-hour residential foster care for children in the Virgin Islands, and contributions help fund the costs of operating the program 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Children come to Queen Louise Home through the V.I. Department of Human Services as a result of abuse, neglect, and/or displacement, or for respite care when needed.

The program is a part of Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands —the largest private child and family services agency in the USVI. LSSVI is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization and an equal opportunity employer.

This post was orig­i­nally pub­lished on this site