For new Henrico Christmas Mother, helping others is personal

Maria Vidal Bagley’s commitment to help others stems from her knowledge of the challenges she and her family faced as Cuban refugees in 1962.

She was just an infant at the time, but her parents instilled in her the idea that she should give back to the Metro Richmond community that helped them in a time of need.

“I empathize with these folks because I see what my family had to go through, to have to start over with nothing,” Bagley – this year’s Henrico Christmas Mother – said in a recent interview.  “It’s quite an honor for me to be the Christmas Mother. I’m excited about it and just nervous, because this is kind of out of my comfort zone.”

Bagley is the first Hispanic Henrico Christmas Mother and is representing the organization during its 80th anniversary year. Volunteers work throughout the year to collect food, clothes, toys, and other necessities for qualifying families and adults. During the holiday season, recipients “shop” at a warehouse to find what they need among the donated items.

“It’s very hard to find a charity where you are able to have one-on-one contact with recipients, the people we are actually helping,” said Conchy Martinez, chair of the senior and disabled adult committee and co-chair for the fundraising and communications committee for the Christmas Mother.

Martinez praised Bagley for being a “fabulous” ambassador for the organization and helpful with diversity and inclusion efforts, Martinez said.

Bagley became involved in Henrico Christmas Mother in 2014, when friends asked if she could help translate applications for Spanish-speaking recipients. She has continued to serve as a translator, and recipient application forms were provided in  English and Spanish for the first time last year, Martinez said.

This year, HCM is partnering with the county and other local connections to ensure translators and interpreters are on-site during the application and “shopping” days, Martinez said. Organization officials also hope to find Arabic translators to better serve the community.

“We are working very hard in our recruitment efforts to bring in individuals of diverse backgrounds that will not only bring in their very particular life experiences and would bring their own different voices, but also would really represent the voice of all of those that we try to serve,” Martinez said.

The Henrico Christmas Mother program served more than 1,300 families last year, and officials hope to help 1,400 families this year, Bagley said.

Bagley, who works as a corporate executive assistant to the CEO at NewMarket Corp., said she also volunteers with Richmond Friends of the Homeless, Crossover Clinic, and the Varina Lions Club. She is an active member and leader at Four Mile Creek Baptist Church.

Applications to be a Christmas Mother recipient can be made at the organization’s warehouse at 361 Dabbs House Road on the first four Mondays of October.

For details, visit henricochristmasmother.org.