Natchez &8212; The population can change quickly at the Sunshine Shelter for Abused and Neglected Children. At Christmas time, that poses a dilemma.

&8220;Literally up until Christmas Eve, we don&8217;t know what age children we&8217;ll have,&8221; said Matilda Stephens, executive director. &8220;This week we have children from 8 months to 16 years. We can take ages from infant to 18 years.&8221;

For anyone wanting to donate to the shelter, the options are many, Stephens said. The first thing a donor can do is to call there, 601-445-2223, to ask what specific type of gift is needed.

&8220;We always need the basic necessities,&8221; Stephens said. &8220;Believe it or not, we&8217;re thrilled to get a case of paper towels, toilet tissue or diapers.&8221;

Those who want to send a gift of money to go specifically for a Christmas present for a child may do so, as well. &8220;Just specify on the check that it&8217;s for a child&8217;s gift. It will go directly into an account set up just for that,&8221; she said.

Food is a good donation &8212; from holiday cookies and cakes to breakfast cereal and juices. &8220;And right now, we could use some new reusable plastic cups,&8221; Stephens said.

Anyone wanting to drop off an item may do so at any time, preferably between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. The shelter is at 409 N. Union St. Gifts may be mailed to that address, also.

The shelter is undergoing renovations to make it more children friendly. &8220;We have three bedrooms that need painting. We will buy the paint if someone wants to donate the time,&8221; she said.

This year, Century 21 donated a Christmas tree to the shelter, which the shelter decorated Wednesday. But the shelter still needs some things to make the holiday special for its temporary residents.

&8220;We need plain Christmas stockings that we can put names on with glitter on Christmas Eve when we know which children will be with us,&8221; Stephens said.

The Sunshine Shelter is one of only nine shelters for abused and neglected children in the state. Children who come to the shelter can stay for only 45 days and then are placed somewhere else by the state Department of Human Services.

&8220;We served 117 children this last year,&8221; Stephens said. &8220;We don&8217;t have a whole lot of say about what happens to the children when they leave here, but we can make recommendations to DHS.&8221;

The shelter capacity is 12 children at a time. Sadly, the shelter frequently has to turn children away because it is full. The average stay for a child is two to three weeks.

While the children are at the shelter, they receive warm, loving care, Stephens said.

&8220;Whether the children are here for one day or 40 days, we give them all of the attention, love and security we can possibly give, and we pray it will help them when they go back to wherever they are going,&8221; she said.