Foundation House Ministries will hold a Christmas in July event at their Healing Springs Gifts Shop, 266 Broad St. NW in Cleveland. The family fun event will include carriage rides, a petting zoo, cookie and ornament decorating, Christmas shopping and arts and crafts. The event will kick off on July 29 with extended shopping hours from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and J103 will broadcast live from the event. The hours for July 30 and 31 will be from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 

Foundation House Ministries provides financial, emotional and physical support to mothers or pregnant women who struggle with addiction, homelessness and joblessness. In addition to offering full-time residence and court advocacy, they train and employ the mothers to create and sell all-natural candles, soaps and lotions in their facilities, and sell them in their shop and wholesale to local boutiques. The Healing Springs Gifts products will be for sale during the extended shopping hours on July 29 and throughout the Christmas in July event. 

The three-day event will begin on Thursday with 15 vendors to shop, Friday is customer appreciation day with prizes and Saturday will be filled with kids’ activities. Foundation House Ministries Executive Director Suzanne Burns says Christmas in July is an important reminder for the community. “This is a great opportunity for families and children to come together to play and have fun and to look forward to Christmas once again. The spirit of family and the spirit of generosity are the two most important aspects of Christ’s birth, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t celebrate family and generosity all year long,” said Ms. Burns.

"Founded in 2012, Foundation House Ministries gives mothers in crisis and their children hope for a new life," officials said. "Roughly 70 percent of clients arrive with no GED or high school diploma, and most of them have little or no job experience. Foundation House Ministries prepares its clients for permanent jobs and housing through education and trauma-informed care. 

Foundation House Ministries is asking for donations of ornaments and Christmas decorations ahead of the event. If you would like to support the nonprofit by donating items or funds, visit www.foundationhouseministries.org.