Supporters of House of Hope have helped to brighten the season for scores of Martin County residents, ensuring that the agency's client families - from infants to senior citizens – have presents and a holiday dinner.

Here are some of the notable ways that people and agency partners have helped:

Residents in Mariner Sands Country Club adopted 44 families for Christmas, providing gifts, bikes and grocery cards. The gift-giving is an annual event for Mariner Sands, making for a heart-warming tradition for the community and House of Hope. Residents delivered the gifts to House of Hope, and families picked up the wrapped treasures on Dec. 9-11.

Another 15 families were adopted by other individuals, businesses and groups that purchased gifts specifically to meet the needs of selected House of Hope client families. They received their packages the week of Dec. 14.

House of Hope referred 32 families to the White Doves Holiday Project, which is a longtime project of Martin Volunteers. White Doves provides families with toys and the staples for a holiday meal. Distribution days are Dec. 19 and 21.

On Dec. 21-23, about 30 to 50 pre-registered families will be coming to House of Hope's Stuart location to receive toys and bikes that have been provided and purchased by House of Hope donors.

Further Christmas cheer will be spread via $4,150 in gift cards provided by donors – primarily the residents of Piper's Landing Yacht & Country Club, The Cottages at Hobe Sound, and Loblolly.

Many individuals also donated turkeys and hams, supplementing the box of nonperishable food that clients of House of Hope's Food Pantry program receive.

House of Hope is a nonprofit agency that provides food, clothing, case management and emergency financial assistance to Martin County people in need. The agency is Martin County's largest provider of food to the hungry, and serves as a safety net for thousands of families, working people and senior citizens who are struggling through hard times.

The agency has locations in Stuart, Hobe Sound, Indiantown and Jensen Beach that operate all House of Hope service programs as well as resale stores to generate income to further help people in need.

For more information about House of Hope, call (772) 286-4673 or visit www.hohmartin.org.