LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – For the Greene family, Christmas isn’t always the merriest time of the year. After losing their son eight years ago, they now spend the holiday sharing the love of Jesus through giving, in his honor.
For the last five years, Heather and Jerry Greene have created an Amazon wish list and asked their family and friends to help them purchase presents. All of the gifts go to women in need at New Legacy Home and One Voice Home to help them create a Christmas morning their kids will remember.
“People just rally every year. The lists are different every year, the amount of people and gifts and people just kind of surprise me every year, like how quickly they buy things and how quickly the wish list gets filled,” Heather Greene said.
It all started as a way to honor their baby boy John Gabriel, who they lost on Christmas Day eight years ago.
“So, Christmas is just really hard for us, for our family. And this is something that’s a good distraction for me and our family. And I think it’s just letting his legacy live on past him and giving to others,” she said.
Along with getting to fellowship over a meal, they share their story with the women at New Legacy Home.
“It gives our ladies hope. It gives them hope to see a family who’s had a great loss, but yet continue to walk with the Lord and do nice things for other people and give back. It really touches them and just really gives our ladies a lot of hope for the future,” said Shanna Hargrave, executive director of New Legacy Home.
The ladies at New Legacy Home are part of a 15-month faith-based program. Hargrave says it’s designed to give them a chance to start over after getting out of the criminal justice system, fighting battles with addiction or leaving an abusive environment.
“We see the names of the women and of their kids and are just able to, I almost feel like by the end of it, I know them because I’ve seen their names so often. And so it means a lot to be able to be here, to get to see them, to get to know them, hear a little bit about their story. And then we just go forward and just keep praying for them and their families,” Heather Greene said.
Hargrave says these women are saving and working to pay off debt, so still being able to have presents for their kids to unwrap Christmas morning is a gift in itself.
“We have so much help from our community, like families like Jerry and Heather, that just come in and they give of their time, their talent, their treasure. When people give, even small ways or big ways, it helps us go further and help more ladies,” Hargrave said.
Hargrave hopes others will follow in the Greene’s footsteps and consider giving this holiday season.
People can also help New Legacy Home any time of the year, by donating online or through a weekly Amazon wish list posted to their Facebook that helps them provide groceries.
Copyright 2025 KCBD. All rights reserved.