Christmas Bureau Needs You!
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Thank you to everyone who has already inquired about helping with the 2020 Shawnee County Christmas Bureau. As you can guess, COVID-19 has complicated our plans. We’ve been working closely with several partners, including the Community Resources Council, Topeka Rescue Mission Ministries, Doorstep, Salvation Army and Topeka Housing Authority, to determine how we can help as many of our neighbors as possible in what likely will be a very challenging holiday season. And we have to do so while keeping our community, our volunteers, and our Christmas Bureau clients safe.
Christmas Bureau IS HAPPENING, but it will look and feel different. Intake for those requesting help began on Monday, October 26, at three locations. Intake ends November 7. If you missed our virtual kickoff on October 28, check out the replay on our Facebook page.
We know that Christmas Bureau is a much-loved holiday tradition for adopters, and we had hoped that changes would not be necessary in this unusual year. But because we want all of our adopters and our clients to celebrate the holidays for years to come, we need to set aside our usual process for right now. We fully expect to return to “normal” operation in 2021.
We hope the Christmas Bureau clients can understand that these changes were made for their safety and with the hopes of helping as many neighbors as possible enjoy some semblance of a normal holiday. We also hope that our dedicated adopters understand that this interruption in normal operations is to protect them as well. In a year where you have been asked to give up many enjoyable and rewarding activities, we hate to have to ask again. But we trust that your generosity will shine through, even though the focus has to be primarily on fundraising this year.
We have made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend the wish list process and to instead provide a set amount for each household member. Each household member will receive a $15 gift card, and the household will receive supplies for a holiday-style meal. Gift cards will allow recipients to personalize their own gift-giving and give them flexibility to best meet their family’s needs. Ongoing conversations with community partners point to the likelihood that more people than usual may need Christmas Bureau assistance this year. The help to an individual household may be slightly more modest, but the changes should allow Christmas Bureau to help as many people as possible. Bulk purchase of gift cards rather than individual shopping also means Christmas Bureau will be doing its part to help minimize potential community spread of COVID-19.
We expect that somewhere around 6,000 individuals will apply and qualify for Christmas Bureau assistance. At just $15 each, the money needed to supply just that modest gift amount comes to $90,000. That’s in addition to the amount needed to furnish food. Fortunately on the food side, we have a $100,000 head start with COVID relief dollars, but that may not meet the entire need.
For those who are able and willing to volunteer, your assistance will be needed for intake, data entry, gift-card packing and delivery. In most cases, we will not be matching donors with a specific recipient. But we will be offering opportunities to distribute gift cards and food for those who want that experience. We will be sharing opportunities to help very soon on TopekaVolunteers.org and our social media channels.
You, as a donor, a volunteer, or even just an advocate for Christmas Bureau, will make this effort a bright spot in an often bleak and frustrating year. Thank you.
If you need help this Christmas, application materials can be downloaded at https://bit.ly/UWGTCB2020. Applications and supporting documentation must be presented in person at one of the three application sites no later than 2 pm on Saturday, November 7, 2020.