Grocery voucher recipients first to benefit
More than 300 grocery store vouchers will be mailed today by Catholic Charities to poor people who are housebound, the first recipients of the gifts provided by the Christmas Bureau.
The bureau opens Dec. 8 at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center. Before it closes Dec. 21, the volunteer-run charity will provide Christmas goodies – food vouchers, toys, candy and children’s books – to about 30,000 poor people.
Needy people unable to physically go to the fairgrounds applied in November to have the food vouchers, most worth $15, mailed to them. Toys, candy and gift bags could not be provided to these recipients.
Christmas Fund donations received to date will more than cover the $4,500 in vouchers mailed out today. But the fund goal of $485,000 will need to be met in order to pay the bills for the 15,000 toys and 10,000 vouchers that will be distributed at the bureau. Donations of all amounts are welcome.
The Christmas Fund received a number of donations too late for last year’s effort. They went into this year’s fund. Leading the group of donations received early this year were generous $2,500 contributions from Acme Concrete Paving Inc., of Spokane, and from the owners, employees and management of Rings & Things.
Rings & Things owners Russ Nobbs and Dee Mueller sent a letter with the donation: “Like many businesses, Rings & Things employees participate in a voluntary payroll deduction plan to make our year-end contribution nearly painless,” wrote the owners.
“With an additional match from the owners, we are able to contribute to the Christmas Fund as well as support several other community concerns,” Nobbs and Mueller continued. “Our thanks go to the Review and to the volunteers working at the Christmas Bureau for this annual opportunity to share with families in need. …
“We hope that our contribution will help make this a holiday filled with sharing and joy for all of our neighbors in Spokane.”
Additional donations received earlier this year:
The Spokesman-Review Editorial Department Freebie Sale donated $2,238.15.
The Sons of Norway Tordenskjold Lodge 2-005, of Spokane, sent $250.
The Spokane Sorosis Club sent $202 and a note: “On Jan. 24, 1891, 30 women met at the Spokane Hotel to answer a call from Mrs. Laura Hunt to organize a women’s club. Thus, the Spokane Sorosis was organized. This was a popular club at the time. Now, because of lack of participation, we are closing our club. We are donating our money to different organizations,” wrote Adeline Hardin.
The Spokane Urology staff at Deaconess Medical Center donated $74. Jan Proctor, of Spokane, sent $27.50. Eve and Jack Bishop, of Spokane, sent $20.