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Christmas Charities?


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Is anybody aware of any Christmas charities besides Salvation Army (Toys for Tots)?? There is a local agency who does an "adopt a family" campaign that most churches/organizations use to gather needy families, however we have missed the cut off for both Salvation Army and the adopt a family campaign. Sigh.

 

Between the washer breakdown and other major expenses (car registration due in Nov) we have literally NOTHING set aside for Christmas. Blech. I hate living like this. It feels like the money stress will NEVER go away.

 

Anyway....I'd appreciate any links to resources that maybe I'm not aware of. I'm mostly worried about the kids. We will have meals with our families (they host, not us).

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Our town does "Shop with a Cop." You could try that phrase with your local town or county listed.

 

I would also contact or visit your local food bank or WIC office or DHS office. Our WIC office has a printed list of local (non-governmental) charities and resources. The county food bank does, too. Maybe yours does, also.

 

In our town, the discount stores (Target, Kmart, etc) and the mall sometimes have trees in the front of the store with requests for children for Christmas. For example, there will be paper ornaments that say, "Girl, 14yo" or "Boy, 2yo." A good samaritan will take the ornament, purchase a gift for that anonymous child, and leave it at the Customer Service desk. You might need to run to each store and ask if they do anything like that.

 

Many hugs to you for the best holiday season you can have, under the circumstances. I wish I could do more for you.

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

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Thanks!!

 

The lady at the local agency (that does the adopt a family) told me that our WIC offices (which we do receive WIC) refer families to them, so WIC is out. Sigh.

 

As far as the angel trees, it seems that ALL of them around here are Salvation Army trees....probably because Salvation Army partners with Toys for Tots here.

 

I've tried searching for smaller local organizations, but it seems that they all fall back on the larger organizations (the local adopt a family one or Salvation Army) to find families in need. It's frustrating, to be honest.

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I'm afraid I wasn't clear enough....I'm looking to get help for my family. We will definitely be volunteering our time locally, though!! It's one of our favorite parts of Christmas.

 

It was my fault I just read the first paragraph and went with it. I hope you can find something. Do you have a home church? Ours has a fund that they use for families in need at Christmas.

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It was my fault I just read the first paragraph and went with it. I hope you can find something. Do you have a home church? Ours has a fund that they use for families in need at Christmas.

 

Unfortunately, no. We left the church I'd been attending for years on the hunt for one that we could both be happy with (he's catholic, I'm non-denominational, but lean more toward the evangelistic style). We have yet to find something that works for us. My children have been attending Wednesday night programming at a local church for a month or so though.

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How would I go about finding local programs like that? I'm really struggling, despite my otherwise exceptional google skills :)

 

Can you maybe ask on Facebook? The companies here would just be found with me asking if anyone's company is doing Sub for Santa this year. I know our company used to do it every year, and others do as well. Same with the homeschool group--if I hadn't seen the posting on it, one of my local HSing moms on my Facebook would have seen it and could tell me.

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Can you maybe ask on Facebook? The companies here would just be found with me asking if anyone's company is doing Sub for Santa this year. I know our company used to do it every year, and others do as well. Same with the homeschool group--if I hadn't seen the posting on it, one of my local HSing moms on my Facebook would have seen it and could tell me.

 

After searching a bit, it looks like "Sub for Santa" is a united way program local to you. My local United Way partners with Toys for Tots and Salvation Army to help families locally. It feels like this is what I'm running into over and over again. Everything leads back to Salvation Army and we missed the deadline. Sigh.

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After searching a bit, it looks like "Sub for Santa" is a united way program local to you. My local United Way partners with Toys for Tots and Salvation Army to help families locally. It feels like this is what I'm running into over and over again. Everything leads back to Salvation Army and we missed the deadline. Sigh.

 

Kristin, that stinks. You're a sweet, caring member of this board; is there something specific we can do to help?

 

I sew; does one of your children need/want something I can sew? Maybe if you post specifically what you could use help with, there would be people here that could help.

 

Just an idea. :001_smile:

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Kristin, that stinks. You're a sweet, caring member of this board; is there something specific we can do to help?

 

I sew; does one of your children need/want something I can sew? Maybe if you post specifically what you could use help with, there would be people here that could help.

 

Just an idea. :001_smile:

 

:iagree::iagree: I would also call local churches and ask them if they know of any programs--if they have their own you could sign up for or if they could refer you to something that will work for you. :grouphug: A lot of our "Sub for Santas" aren't official. People submit needy families to whomever is in charge in the group and people sign up to buy for them.

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Our high schools all do something. The one my son attends does Shop With a Greyhound. They collect money and then take the kids to the local mall. The kids come from local elementaryschools. My high school (with 95% free/reduced lunch) does an angel tree for our feeder elementary schools. I know your kids don't attend your local schools, but they might be a source of information. The guidance counselor or social worker at the local elementary school might be able to help.

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I ask your forgiveness. I saw Salvation Army and just flew off on my own self-referential toot. :0(

 

Look for an inter-faith council in your area. They often know of how to obtain help in this situation. Also, I have been in very churches in my adult life, but all three (over 35 years, that's all I've attended) had discretionary funds for this sort of thing. They generally won't fund a lavish Christmas, but you will eat and they also cooperate with Angel Tree and other charitable giving.

 

And when I worked at a major corporation, through the United Way contacts, each department (hundreds of departments) adopted a family. I will never forget the generosity of our department of 15 people; I guarantee you that the adopted family ate better and had far better gifts than any in our group did, mostly due to the determination of a couple of people who were astonished at the opportunity to give where it counted.

 

The United Way might be another option for contact.

 

United Way seems to partner with Salvation Army/Toys for Tots here. I'm starting to think everybody does! Wish there was someplace in town to give some feedback on that! Makes it really difficult for anybody who misses the deadline to receive any aid at all.

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I think googling is only going to take you so far and your best bet of finding some help is going to be on the phone. Start with churches. Call and ask if they know of any local programs to help with your children's christmas - tell them you missed the salvation army deadline for your kids to get toys for tots and that you find yourself unable to provide anything for the kids. It won't be fun having to make those calls but I think you will be more successful than searching just online.

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I think googling is only going to take you so far and your best bet of finding some help is going to be on the phone. Start with churches. Call and ask if they know of any local programs to help with your children's christmas - tell them you missed the salvation army deadline for your kids to get toys for tots and that you find yourself unable to provide anything for the kids. It won't be fun having to make those calls but I think you will be more successful than searching just online.

 

You are probably right.

 

I just feel like anybody can call and say that, and while one would hope that nobody would take advantage, but people do. I dunno. I guess I just feel like I'm begging and why should anybody believe me. Irrational?? Maybe somewhat. I'm not even sure I put that into words accurately.

 

Anyway.....fact of the matter is that you're probably right.

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Kristin, that stinks. You're a sweet, caring member of this board; is there something specific we can do to help?

 

I sew; does one of your children need/want something I can sew? Maybe if you post specifically what you could use help with, there would be people here that could help.

 

Just an idea. :001_smile:

 

:iagree: What are you specifically looking for? An adopt-a-family program? A gift for each child? Are you near Cedar Rapids by any chance?

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