April Ehrlich got emotional entering the Sugar Pine Lodge at the Nevada County Fairgrounds on Thursday.

Both she and her husband have recently been laid off, and her five children wouldn't have received Christmas gifts this year had it not been for Women of Worth, a local nonprofit.

Women of Worth arranged its sixth annual Christmas present distribution event at the fairgrounds Thursday. Families in distress, adopted by local residents and businesses, collected elaborately wrapped gifts that awaited them in the large hall of the Sugar Pine Lodge.

"Women of Worth assists individuals escaping domestic violence (and other crises)," said Sandy Schmidt, executive director of the nonprofit. "We help with their practical needs to start their lives over."

The nonprofit now serves 28 families, helping individuals usually for a duration of two years, Schmidt said. The group is funded by donations from the community.

Thursday's event was called "HO-HO-HO," which stands for "Helping out, helping others, holiday outreach," Schmidt said.

Women of Worth matches donors with the kind of family they want to adopt, Schmidt said. Donors are also told about the needs of the family they're helping - the favorite colors of family members and the hobbies and sports they like, Schmidt added. This helps donors buy appropriate gifts for their adopted families.

Women of Worth has donors from as far away as Southern California and San Francisco, Schmidt said. The nonprofit is operated entirely by volunteers, she added.

According to Schmidt, the group now wants to open a safe house for displaced families and their pets to live in for a four-to-six month period.

To contact Soumitro Sen, e-mail ssen@theunion.com or call 477-4229.