When Christmas time comes, there seems to be an overall softening that happens through the world.
The Holiday season seems to remind us of those we care about, and those around us who may be without.
This year, more than most years, the need is even greater for us to help our neighbors.
Few of us have not been affected by a pandemic that doesn’t seem to care it is the holiday season, and with more and more people out of work or on reduced hours, the need to help take care of our neighbors applies more this year than any other.
Let’s keep our food banks stocked, and our neighbors watched over. Be aware of those around you that you may not know are out of work or struggling to get over being ill. Let’s give where we can and share the holiday spirit.
Below are some of the less typical charities in Utah that are doing so much good this holiday season. Check them out and see if they are a right fit for you.
Warm the Soles, through Nebo Credit Union is a holiday charity in which they raise monetary donations to provide new shoes for those children in the Nebo School District without. In 2019 through Warm the Soles, Nebo Credit Union was able to donate 1,000 pairs of shoes. If you are a member of Nebo Credit Union and you have a loan through them you can defer one loan payment with a donation of $40. But if you are not a member of Nebo Credit Union, don’t let this dissuade you, anyone can make a one-time donation. Just follow this link https://nebocreditunion.org/wts
KSL’s Quarters for Christmas is a charity which provides warm clothing for hundreds of children in the state of Utah. Every year every penny donated goes to Utah’s kids in need to ensure they are warm during the winter months and with a pandemic putting so many out of work in our state, the need is greater than ever for Utah’s children to be kept warm and healthy. If you are interested in donating to KSL’s Quarters for Christmas just go to this link https://bonneville-charitable.secure.force.com/giving/QuartersForChristmas
Utah Foster Care Giving Tree Program assures that every child in the Utah Foster Care Giving Tree Program receives the gifts for Christmas that they are wishing for.
Each child is granted three wishes up to a certain dollar amount and when Christmas morning comes, they are guaranteed they get a gift they had actually wished for instead of what has been randomly donated. If this is a charity you are interested in giving to go to this link: https://utahfostercare.org/blog/holiday-giving/
Did you know there are approximately 65,000 refugees living in the state of Utah? Neither did I until a friend told me about the Utah Refugee Connection. Utah in general has a generous culture of service and giving and I can’t think of a better way to give this holiday season than to a refugee family that is working so hard to make a new life for themselves in our beautiful state.
If you would like to help a refugee family just follow this link https://serverefugees.org/give/. There are options to donate grocery cards or gas card, presents, a warm blanket, or Christmas for a whole family.
And of course Tabitha’s Way. Did you know they are able to provide food for a family of four for one month for around $70? And your local Tabitha’s Way is just right around the corner at in Spanish Fork. With concerns of COVID-19 safety the best way to donate to Tabitha’s Way is to go to this link https://tabithaswaysouth.org/donate/
COVID-19 may have changed how we serve and provide for those struggling around us.
We may not be able to be in our neighbors’ homes sharing our holiday cheer but with the blessing of technology we can still have our generosity reaching out to the families in our communities. (Gibson is a Serve Daily contributor.)
