A wide variety of Utah organizations, businesses and residents are getting into the holiday spirit by helping the less fortunate. Some of the efforts include:
Smith's Food King teamed up with an ice producer to contribute 800 children's books to United Way agencies in Cache, Weber, Davis, Salt Lake and Utah counties.
The contribution was made possible by Smith's customers purchasing Dryer's Grand Ice Cream during the month of December.
The Salt Lake County Division of Youth Services was the recipient of a toy and clothing drive sponsored by the Urban Grind, a specialty coffee drive-through.
Donations went to ShelterKids, a nonprofit group dedicated to assisting the clients of the Salt Lake County Division of Youth Services.
Family First Credit Union collected 750 pairs of shoes in its "Warm the Soles" program to help less fortunate children. The Nebo School District received new shoes for 450 of its children in low-income brackets. Other recipients included Geneva Elementary in Orem, Central Elementary in Pleasant Grove and children of a Tongan LDS ward in Orem.
Employees of XO Communications donated new supplies for women and children in the Salt Lake City branch of the Young Women's Christian Association.
The donations included clothes, diapers, personal hygiene products, books, stuffed animals and toys.
The Salt Lake City office of CB Richard Ellis teamed up with Washington Elementary School for a clothing and food drive. The two organizations have been collecting socks and mittens, a large portion of which will be given to students at the school in low-income brackets. In turn, the students held a food drive for the Utah Food Bank.