The staff of Epworth Children's Home, Mary Kennedy Parson, Laura Bundrick, and Rev. John E. Holler Jr., president of Epwor th, accept gifts from Lisa Bussey (l) and director Valarie Williams of the South Carolina State Housing and Development Authority. Ninety- nine children age six through 17 at Epworth Children's Home in Columbia, S.C. will have at least one thing they wished for on Christmas morning thanks to the generous efforts of the South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority employees.

Each year as part of their holiday preparations, employees at the Authority decorate a tree and look for ways to help others. This year, along with the ribbons, lights, and ornaments, were an assortment of tags giving the age of a boy or girl and an item they would like to have. All 99 had been fulfilled by the end of Friday, December 12.

Employees also donated items for a silent auction that concluded on Friday, December 12. Bidders contributed more than $250 that also went to assist the children of Epworth.

"This has been a regular part of our holiday season for many years," said director Valarie Williams. "Even dur- ing these times of uncertainty and difficulty, everyone here pitched in to make the holidays brighter for the children. It has been good for the giver and the recipient."

Helping others is all part of the job for employees at the Authority, who so far this year have assisted 1500 first time homebuyers to purchase their own home through the Homeownership program. In addition, they have assisted 20,100 people with rental assistance and distributed more than $8.8 million in funds for emergency home repair, owner- occupied rehabilitation programs, and supportive housing activities through the Housing Trust Fund.

The State Housing Finance and Development Authority is a self- supporting agency of state government and operates at no cost to taxpayers.