- Non-profits and church groups are working hard to help the poor
Local non-profits and area churches are already waist-high in the torrent of preparing for the busiest time of the year: the holiday season. Their goal is to give needy families with a basket full of fixings for a traditional meal so they, too, can experience Christmas and help them survive the high costs of heating for the winter. These agencies are working overtime and non-stop to recruit and coordinate volunteers, identify families in need, solicit donations and coordinate donations and services.
Whew! Though they do this kind of work year round, the part that increases is the recruitment of volunteers and soliciting and coordinating donations, because this is the time of year when residents who have resources to share reflect on their own blessings and resolve to help. With a slower economy and rising fuel costs, the need is growing greater than the resources. The South County Collaborative, a coalition of non-profit and public human service organizations that work to meet South County’s neediest families, helps the Times Editorial Board provide a comprehensive list of opportunities to help.
- There are plenty of opportunities to lend a helping hand on the ‘master list’
We annually print this “master list” of organizations – now available at www.morganhilltimes.com under the “News” banner on the opening Web page – that are providing goods and services to poor people. This information will help agencies to know where to send people needing assistance so we can help during this Season of Giving with food baskets, dinners to families, and many other needs.
Many of our local organizations are conducting drives to help the service organizations. You may find giving trees in your bank or real estate office that provide a handy place to drop off a donation. Many Realtors collect canned goods. Morgan Hill Coldwell Banker is conducting a coat drive. Gavilan College receives food donations for St. Joseph’s Family Center year-round in the student center. Local Boy Scout troops collect canned goods; several groups support Toys for Tots. And you can mail a check to any of the service providers on our list any time.
- Needs are year round and it would help for everyone to consider that
Everyone appreciates the way Morgan Hill residents observe the true meaning of the holidays by giving to others during the holidays. However, consider the rest of the year. Many religious organizations remind their members that hunger happens 365 days a year. For example, you could celebrate Christmas in July by bringing a donation of canned goods or a turkey to St. Joseph Family Center in July as well as December.
Our plea to donors this year is to sign up to serve meals at the dining hall throughout the year, as opposed to walking in on Thanksgiving or Christmas when planning has already been done to staff the kitchens. Also, please purchase and donate your goods or money by the deadline set by your chosen organization so that coordination, assembly and delivery can be as seamless as possible. When we support the deadlines and schedules of the organization, the workers can spend Christmas Eve with their families instead of staffing the donation site.
And, if you miss the deadline, that’s fine! Organizations will GLADLY accept your donations in January, because the need for gifts, gift cards and money, truly is year round.
By helping to coordinate this information, we hope to maximize South County’s greatest resource – the extraordinary generosity of our residents.
ACT NOW
Community Solutions Holiday Giving Program
www.communitysolutions.org
16264 Church St., No. 103, Morgan Hill
(408) 776-6280
Nearly 200 families need assistance this year
Items needed include clothing, household items, school supplies, games, gift cards, bus passes, phone cards, restaurant coupons, movie tickets.
James F. Boccardo Family Living Center
www.ehclifebuilders.org
13545 Monterey Road, San Martin
(408) 686-1300, ext. 11
Patricia Vazquez, program manager
Provides emergency shelter December through March as well as supportive services needed to find long-term housing. The facility also offers transitional and migrant farm worker housing.
Salvation Army
www.salvationarmy.org
200 5th St., Gilroy
(408) 848-5373
Serves Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy homeless people, low-income people and seniors with hot meals. Agency needs Christmas food boxes, grocery store gift cards, new toys for childre ages 0-12, frozen turkeys, basic items for pantry including peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, rice, canned tuna or chicken, canned soup, packaged Ramen soups, cup of soups, Quick Oats, canned vegetables, canned chili, canned goods, dry spaghetti or other pasta, cans or jars of spaghetti sauce, boxed cereal, small bags of sugar, flour, fruit juices.
