Union County NC Christmas Bureau

Union County Christmas Bureau 2009 Location:
1416 Skyway Drive, Monroe, NC
Phone: (704) 296 - 4312
Volunteer Services Coordinator Email: ghaney@co.union.nc.us

About Union County Christmas Bureau
In 1979, the Jaycee Goodfellows, the Salvation Army, and the Department of Social Services came together to try to meet the needs of families during the Christmas season. That first year, approximately 300 families were provided with toys and food for their Christmas gifts. The Union County Christmas Bureau was organized in 1983 to help meet the needs of low income families in our communities. The Christmas Bureau became a collaborative effort of many agencies within Union County including churches, civic groups, schools, and businesses. The Christmas Bureau was also formed as a clearinghouse to help prevent duplication of assistance among families. Today, the Union County Christmas Bureau assists over 2,000 families each year and in order to continue to meet the needs of this growing number, we need help from others in our community. In addition to more than 200 volunteers, the Christmas Bureau relies on monetary donations, toy and gift item donations, and family sponsorships. Individuals, businesses, churches, and organizations can find at least one way they can assist and help others in the community. Enjoy our website and just imagine the possibilities of hundreds of smiling children on Christmas morning because you took the time to care.
How to Help Financial Donations:
With the generous support of many in our community, the Union County Christmas Bureau made Christmas a special time for 9,552 individuals in 2008. The monies received were used to purchase toys, gift certificates, and food for families to enjoy over the holiday season. To the single working parent struggling to provide their children with a Merry Christmas, you've helped lift part of the burden off their shoulders. For the many of Union County's less fortunate children, the donations we received let them experience the joy and warmth of the Christmas Season that every child deserves. Your donation helps ensure that everyone can experience the warmth and joys of Christmas. To make a donation by mail complete the Donation Form. Donations can be made by mail or by telephone.
Food Drive Sponsorships:
More than 2,000 families apply for Christmas assistance each year. Many of those are adopted by other groups or businesses and they receive their food and gifts items directly from the donors. Of the remaining families that do not get adopted, they will come to the Christmas Bureau to select their gifts and receive a box of food for their family. In 2008 through donations and food drives by local schools, businesses and organizations the Union County Christmas Bureau was able to provide a box of food for more than 300 families which had applied to receive Christmas assistance. It will take the efforts of many groups to provide enough food for our families this year. If your group or business would like to sponsor a food drive, please contact the Christmas Bureau by stopping by at this year’s location, calling, or you may email the Sponsorship Form to ghaney@co.union.nc.us. Thank you!
Gift Tree Sponsorship: Churches, business, and other organizations sponsor Gift Trees for us each year. Our goal is to be able to place every child that applies for assistance on a gift tree somewhere in our county. During the 2008 Christmas season, 26 gift trees throughout the county provided 1,157 children and adults with Christmas gifts. These gifts were donated by individuals, families, and businesses. If your church, business, or group would like to sponsor a gift tree: * Call the Christmas Bureau and return it to the Christmas Bureau by: * Download and complete the Sponsorship Form o Mail – 1416 Skyway Drive, Monroe, NC 28110 o Email – ghaney@co.union.nc.us o Or in person at the Christmas Bureau at this year’s location
Sponsoring a Family:
The first step in sponsoring a family is determining what size family you would like to sponsor. This depends on the amount of money you are willing to spend in order to make a family’s Christmas brighter. We ask that you provide one new clothing outfit per child and at least two toys for each child. For the family, you will need to provide food for their Christmas dinner. You can do this by purchasing the food yourself, or by purchasing a grocery store gift card so that they can do their own shopping. After you have decided on the size family you want to sponsor, complete the Sponsorship Form and get it to the Christmas Bureau as quickly as possible. We ask that after you have purchased the family’s food and gift items, that you touch base with the family by December 14th and make arrangements for delivery with the adopted family. We ask that you have the gifts and food delivered by the Saturday before Christmas.
Stocking Sponsorship:
The perfect complement for a child’s Christmas gifts would be a stocking filled with small toys and goodies just for them. Our organization can provide empty stockings to you, your group, or organization, and you can fill those stockings to make a smile light up a child’s face. After you have filled the stocking with items for a specific age child, we ask that you complete the label we will provide to you with the gender and age that is most appropriate for the items you have included in the stocking. Then, you bring your beautifully filled stockings to the Christmas Bureau before the distribution dates so that our volunteers can be sure to give a stocking to every child that receives assistance from the Christmas Bureau. Stop by the Christmas Bureau’s current location or call us so that you can get an early start on filling stockings for these wonderful children. You may also email the Sponsorship Form to ghaney@co.union.nc.us. Thank you!
Toy Donations:

New Toys
With the generous support of the community, the Union County Christmas Bureau is able to provide Christmas presents to approximately 2800 children each year. These children range in ages from newborn to those still attending high school. Without your generosity, they would have nothing to look forward to on Christmas morning. The Central Carolinas Det. 914 Marine Corps League sponsors the annual Toys for Tots drive in Union County. All of the toys collected at the barrels throughout the county are brought to the Christmas Bureau for distribution. Additional donations of new toys are needed from the community to help provide at least 2 toys to every child that comes to the Christmas Bureau for assistance.

Used Toys
One of the projects our volunteers get excited about is our gently used toy project. Our volunteers clean toys, locate missing pieces and make almost new toys from the used toys that are donated. But we never have enough toys for every child. Please consider donating toys that your children no longer play with to the Christmas Bureau. As you donate, be mindful that the used toys are to brighten a child’s life. Please consider the quality of the used toy as you give. The 2009 distribution dates are December 18, 21, 22, and 23. It would help our volunteers tremendously to have all toy donations at the Christmas Bureau by December 16, 2009. Become A

Christmas Bureau Volunteer:
Each year the Christmas Bureau must rely on hundreds of individual, group, and family volunteers to help us meet the needs of serving the families that apply to receive Christmas assistance. Our volunteers are very important to the success of our program and we rely on them to help in many ways. Our volunteers perform basic office tasks, accept donations at our location, match clients and donors, schedule other volunteers, and sort toys or food for gifts. During the distribution, our volunteers will be clerks in our toy shop or will organize the gift tree items for scheduled pickup. Volunteers are needed from October through December of each year at the Christmas Bureau location. Hours vary each month and the schedule shown here may be subject to change. If you would like to volunteer with us during the Christmas season, the first step is to complete a Volunteer Application. After completion of the application, email to ghaney@co.union.nc.us, fax or bring it to our staff at the Union County Christmas Bureau at this year’s location. 2008-2009 Christmas Bureau Advisory Board Debbie Boulton, UC Dept of Social Services David Cunningham, UC Environmental Health Bob Griffin, Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots Modene Howie, Operation Reachout Art Madill, Madill-Mitchum Real Estate, LLC Judge Chris Bragg, NC Court System Richard Heins, United Way Julie Landis, Community Volunteer Colleen Neubert, HELP Crisis Pregnancy Center Angela Ziegler, Community Volunteer

Wish List: Teens:
Adult art supplies Adult backpacks Big CD holders Electronic games Footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, baseballs and bat Board games Skateboards Bicycles Jewelry Needlepoint Hair accessories Skates

Toys:
Bicycles – all sizes

Books:
New and gently used books for infants through teenage.

Clothing: Hats & Gloves – girls and boys – all sizes Shirts, Jeans, Skirts – all sizes

Donation Form CBDonationForm.pdf
Sponsorship Form CBSponsorForm.pdf
Volunteer Form cbvolunteerform.pdf