FOLEY, Ala. — The number of children in this area that need help with Christmas has increased, while the number of sponsors to help them has gone down.

That’s the word from Ecumenical Ministries Inc. this Christmas season.

“This community still just gives and gives and gives,” Pam Meredith of EMI said this week in speaking of the agency’s “Christmas Sharing” program that seeks to give boys and girls a Merry Christmas.

“The issue is we have a lot of new families. If we had more sponsors it would be wonderful.”

According to Meredith, at this point in the season EMI has over 460 children from 204 families it is looking to help with Christmas. That’s up from 418 children last year.

It didn’t take Foley Public Library long to find sponsors for the 15 children whose names they got from EMI. The children found sponsors the first day, according to Kelly Wansley, children’s librarian.

“Christmas Sharing” is designed to provide area children with gifts they might otherwise go without.

“Our hope is that people will realize that some of the people who use the library are often the most economically distressed,” Steve Horn, director of the library, said this week. He said efforts on behalf of the children will hopefully make the season a brighter one for families facing economic hardship at Christmas time.

Wansley said library patrons interested in sponsoring a child through “Christmas Sharing” can contact her, and she will put them in touch with EMI since the needs of area children abound this holiday season.

Those interested in sponsoring a child for Christmas should contact EMI’s Foley office at 943-3445.

The criteria is providing gifts that cost in total approximately $60 and specific gift requests are provided for the child being sponsored.

Meredith said the increase in children and decrease in sponsors is for “all the obvious reasons.” She added that charitable agencies, larger churches and charitable foundations are checking to make certain that duplications in sponsorships are avoided.