A group of volunteers led by Dawn Benner of Lehighton showed the true meaning of Christmas this year. Benner helped set up a local chapter of Best Christmas Ever of Greater Carbon County.

They met at Ben Salem UCC in Andreas on Friday evening to wrap the gifts and prepare for Sunday when they would surprise a local family with gifts and other help they need.

Best Christmas Ever is a national nonprofit organization started in Minnesota in 2010 with a dad who was had medical issues, was out of work and had fallen behind on bills.

His family rallied together to get food and gifts for them. The following year, the dad decided to “pay it forward” and do something similar for another family.

Currently, the group has 47 chapters. Someone nominates a family to the national organization, which then checks on the family’s needs, and assigns the family to the local chapter. The person who nominates the family helps to organize the event. The recipient family does not know about it; their local contact helps with the arrangements.

“We had 11 nominations,” Benner said, “and we chose one family; a single dad with two teenage sons The dad has medical issues and had fallen behind on bills. With the help of friends, neighbors and the schools, we got an idea of what they needed.”

Because of privacy concerns, the family’s name was not revealed.

Money that was raised for the family will be used for bills or debts. The national group of BCE maintains the funds.

When the family contacts them in need of a bill to be paid like mortgage or rent, they let BCE know and BCE pays that bill directly to the creditor.

There are two other programs that help the family as well.

“As a family that is selected,” Benner added, “they can take an 8-week financial wellness course. Once they pass, they get $1,000 to be used toward bills. They can also take an 8-week health and wellness and better eating online course; once they pass, they get $1,000 to use toward food.”

From their website: “At Best Christmas Ever, we serve families who have fallen upon tough times, through no fault of their own. BCE partners with local leaders and businesses to bless each BCE family with a custom and unique Best Christmas Ever, tailored to the family situation.”

Nominations for families are accepted between Sept. 1 through Nov. 1. Learn more at https://www.bcemovement.org.