Christmas Help for Low Income Families

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The holidays always bring out the best in people, and that fact is exemplified by the charities and organizations that provide Christmas help for low income families.

Finding Christmas Help For Low Income Families

Unless someone has experienced struggling through the holidays without enough income and with children who believe wholeheartedly in the magic of Christmas, it's hard to understand exactly how that feels. The last thing you want to do is to let your children wake up on Christmas morning without any gifts under the tree. Children of all families, wealthy or poor, all share a common belief in the magic of Christmas. No parent wants to destroy that belief.

But due to life circumstances, some parents are faced with the stark reality that there's simply no money to make those wishes come true. But there's hope. It is possible to find Christmas help for low income families if you know where to look, and you can set aside pride long enough to ask for help. There are so many people out there who want to help; all you have to do is ask.

Religious or Denominational Charities

There are numerous state and national religious organizations that provide a great deal of assistance to families in need during the holidays.

Catholic Charities

Catholic Charities, although an organization run by the Catholic Church, serves people of any faith who are in need. Catholic Charities sponsor angel trees, provide food baskets and gifts for children, and service soup kitchens across the U.S.

This year at Catholic Charities:

  • Catholic Charities of Boston is holding a few Christmas galas, a Laboure Christmas House tour, a Merrimack Valley Christmas House tour, and a Christmas Toy Party.
  • Catholic Charities of Chicago is having a month-long event to collect gifts for families in need. Events include "Sponsor-a-Family" and a "Toy Shower."
  • Catholic Charities of Northwest Florida is holding a Christmas Tea and a Christmas Connection Golf Tournament.
  • Catholic Charities of Los Angeles is sponsoring a City of Angels Christmas Gala.

Catholic Charities also hosts the Annual Cardinal's Christmas Party for Children each year. Find assistance from your local organization by searching the national website.

The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army has always been on the forefront of holiday giving. Just about anyone who has ever gone holiday shopping can recognize the tell-tale sound of the Salvation Army bellringers standing outside in the snow near the red Salvation Army donation kettle.

The Salvation Army is a faith-based organization that provides year-round support for families in need, but especially during the holidays. They provide food, clothing and toys for families, and volunteers even offer gifts to senior citizens in the hospital or in nursing homes. They provide Christmas dinner at homeless shelters. Each year, Salvation Army Christmas programs include the Red Kettle donation collection, an angel tree program for which the Salvation Army manages the program for sponsor companies, and a wish list of items the Salvation Army needs to support its local missions.

Other Religious Organizations

Whether you are Protestant, Muslim, Evangelical, Jewish, or Buddhist, there is likely a church, mosque or temple in your region of the country that provides the faithful with Christmas charities. If you find yourself in need this holiday season, don't forget to contact your local church leadership to ask whether the local church community is offering assistance to needy families in the area.

Community Organizations and Businesses

Aside from religious organizations, countless community organizations also offer a great deal of assistance to families in need during the holidays.

United Way

The United Way is an amazing organization that unites charities from every community in the country, large or small. By visiting the United Way for help, you will have access to almost every charity in your local area. This makes the United Way a great place to start if you find yourself in need during the holidays.

If you want to find what Christmas help is available in your area, or if you're looking for ways to offer your own resources or services to other families in need, just do a search on the United Way website for "Christmas" and whatever state you live in. For example, "Christmas Maine" will return a long list of Christmas events and charities throughout the state of Maine.

Service Organizations

Check with your local police or fire department. These civil service agencies almost always provide food and toys to local families who are in need. These organizations are on the forefront of providing services for local families who are suffering from hardship. Police and firemen are not only heroes during an emergency, they are also heroes every Christmas when they help keep the magic of Christmas alive for children in need in every town across the country.

Civic organizations like the Lions Club, Kiwanis, and American Legion are filled with men and women who are charitable by nature. All you need to do is approach any single one of these groups for help, and you and your family will experience one of the greatest Christmas miracles you could imagine.

Miscellaneous Help

A few other things you can do to ease your financial burden this holiday:

  • Electrical and phone utility companies often provide locally- and federally-funded programs that can offer assistance.
  • A food bank can help you feed your family during the holidays.
  • Agencies such as Goodwill often extend additional assistance and resources during the holidays.

Review these other LoveToKnow Save articles for additional Christmas savings:

Editor's Note

Readers, these are indeed troubled times, and we wish you all the very best.

However, please note that LoveToKnow is *not* a service agency. This article is simply to provide you with resources to contact in your location.

Additional resources in your area may include:

* YMCA or YWCA
* Women's shelters or local mission centers
* Toys for Tots drives
* Salvation Army
* Disabled American Veterans shops

Also contact your local newspaper to see if there's a city-wide or state-wide charity aid program available. For example, Iowa has Iowa Cares and Embrace Iowa. But the newspaper would have that information.

Please open the phone book and look for the recommended agencies in your location and provide them with a list of your needs.

Please understand that for your security, we *cannot* forward your contact information on to any service agency. Best of luck to everyone - you're in our thoughts.

~~ Tracey Kelley

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