Looking for a way to "reach out and touch someone" beyond your immediate circle of family and friends this season?
While AT&T's little slogan means they'd like you to pick up the phone, your local church may be better able to provide the humanitarian connection many people yearn for during the holidays. Following Christ's mandate to help those in need, dozens of area churches are involved in projects to help make Christmas brighter for people who need a lift.Your contribution may be as simple as dropping a few coins in the Salvation Army's annual kettle outside the local shopping center - or taking a turn at ringing the bell yourself. Valerie Larabee, director of public relations for the local Salvation Army churches, said the thousands of coins dropped in the red kettles each Christmas help fund programs in Utah throughout the year.
"Bell ringers kicked that program off on Nov. 27 at the ZCMI Center on Main Street, and we're running full speed right now. Our campaign goal is $190,000 - that's $25,000 more than last year, so we've beefed it up a little. We never have trouble with getting volunteers for the week or so just prior to Christmas, but right now we're looking to spur on as many community groups as we can to sign up for a day of bell-ringing."
Call 322-1253, ext. 244 for information.
If collecting coins isn't your cup of tea, how about dressing up for a tea party? The annual Bear and Doll Tea is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 15, at 6 p.m. at Salvation Army headquarters, 252 S. 500 East. Volunteers who participate in the event have made clothing for dolls and teddy bears provided by the Salvation Army and will bring their well-dressed gifts to the tea. Larabee said while she's already distributed about 250 "naked" dolls and bears to those who plan to clothe them, "there are plenty of toys left."
"The Girls Scouts like to come and dress them up. There are some Scout troops that make it an annual event, and some women in the community have known about it for years. They'll come in and do it with their daughters or granddaughters. It's a tradition that's lots of fun, and some of the stuff that comes in is really beautiful," Larabee said.
Following the tea, the toys will go to the Angel Tree program, of which the Salvation Army is also a sponsor along with KUTV, Channel 2, and ZCMI. Organized to provide both individuals and families with a few of their Christmas wishes, Angel Tree recipients range from infants to the elderly, Larabee said.
"This year we've got a veteran that's 70 years old and living in a nursing home. He only has one leg, and his big request for Christmas this year is a Spiderman pillowcase."
The man is one example of the kinds of recipients Angel Tree serves. In addition to applications from families in need, nursing homes and care centers submit names for people who don't have any family members to take care of their Christmas wishes. For the elderly participants "we try to provide toiletry type items and their special requests also," Larabee explained.
While KUTV does the publicity, ZCMI provides the "pickup point" for Santa wannabes who can select from among scores of request cards submitted by applicants who meet specific income and other need criteria. The cards are placed as decorations on Christmas trees inside ZCMI stores, where customers can choose a recipient.
Once the purchases are made, the items are returned to ZCMI, then transported to the Salvation Army warehouse for storage until Santa's helpers arrive to help deliver the gifts. Community United Church of Christ in Provo is participating in Angel Tree as a congregation, gathering items at the church to be handed over when the drive is completed.
Maybe you're short on cash for toys but have skills that can be put to work. Larabee said the Salvation Army is looking for volunteers who know makeup and hairdressing to teach several clients in its drug and alcohol treatment program about "how to primp. We'll need them Dec. 19, and then we're hosting a party for the clients on Dec. 20."
If it seems that the Salvation Army covers every base, Larabee said there are plenty of programs sponsored by other churches, businesses and community organizations to help fill all the community's needs.
Linda Hilton, director of the Coalition of Religious Communities for Crossroads Urban Center, said the center has "probably 50 different churches that contribute to our mission. Right now they're doing food drives within their congregations for the items that we need. We send out a list, and they gather the items we'll be giving away in a holiday basket."
Participating churches also "provide many of the volunteers who bring the food down and sort it out. Every church doing a food drive has a coordinator responsible for publicity within the church and then getting the food down here," Hilton said.
"The big push comes when we get the bags ready to be given away - it takes us days to get that done. Starting Dec. 17, we have to move everything out of our building to the school where we do the giveaway. Then for the next three to four days, we set up hundreds of empty brown paper bags in rows along the gym floor. Volunteers make sure each bag gets stuffing, mashed potatoes, a can of yams and so forth.
"Different sized bags are geared to individual families, single people, any size of family. Also for those with no cooking facilities, they'll get things you don't have to heat: crackers, cookies, cold ham that's sliced, rolls, things like that," Hilton said.
In addition to gathering, sorting and distributing food, some churches encourage their members to contribute to the Crossroads Emergency Fund. "We take care of keeping families in their homes. If someone comes to us with an emergency shut-off for heat and they have kids, we try to help them with some subsidy and then get referrals to get it turned on again. We also try to help them find resources to keep the water running or whatever it is," she said.
"We find that the biggest misconception people have about the poor in general is that they are homeless people aimlessly walking the streets. But the majority of people we serve are working, many of them full time. They're married and have children - families like you think are supposed to be surviving."
Vicki Neumann knows all about those kinds of families. As director of the Interfaith Hospitality Network, she coordinates housing and other services for families in financial trouble. Working with several local churches, families without housing are taken in, fed, provided sanitary facilities and a laundry, and given help with transportation to find employment and permanent housing.
With 13 "hosting churches" that actually house families and 27 supporting churches that provide meals, diapers, wet wipes and other needs, the program shows "the power of God. You know when it's out of your hands and when we witness what takes place with interfaith efforts here - there's not questions who's in charge," Neumann said.
The program is in its second year of sponsoring a sub-for-Santa for the families it is currently serving or has helped in the past. "So far, all but two of our families are covered this year, and we already have 27 sponsored." Sponsors usually provide the basics, including underwear, socks, hats, gloves, coats and other warm clothing, along with a toy for the children, she said.
Many churches providing help through Crossroads Urban Center also concentrate on providing clothing, especially this time of year, Hilton said.
"More often than not, people who come to us need things in addition to food," Hilton said. "We have a thrift store that helps supply blankets, socks, hats, sleeping bags, mittens, scarves and long underwear. All that stuff is going out the door as fast as it comes in. My own church is collecting long underwear, socks and hats, and our sister congregation is collecting sleeping bags" as their holiday gift to the community.
Individuals who wish to donate to Crossroads can do so at 347 S. 400 East weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Clothing can be donated to the thrift store at 1385 W. Indiana Ave. (850 South) Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
While much emphasis has been placed on the local community, national and international church groups are encouraging donations to help those in other nations, particularly victims of Hurricane Mitch.
While the LDS Church has already sent tons of relief supplies to Central America, it continues to gather donations of food and clothing at its Sort Center, 1665 S. Bennett Road, and at a tractor-trailer stationed at the Cottonwood Mall. Cash donations are also accepted at the church's Humanitarian Services Department, 50 E. North Temple, Salt Lake City, 84150.
The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City is accepting monetary donations as well, which can be sent to Catholic Relief Services, 27 C St., Salt Lake City, 84103, or to Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD, 21203-7090.