First night shift of the year for the Christmas Bureau sees strong turnout
The Christmas Bureau helped 2,790 households in the first three days it was open, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight as parents and guardians continued to line up at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center to get Christmas gifts for their children – this time during the bureau’s popular evening hours.
Whitney Johnson, whose fourth child is due in January, came to the Bureau Monday evening because her partner’s paycheck only goes so far.
“It’s been a little rough,” she said. “We’re making it, just there. We’re trying.”
Her children range in age from 4 to 10, and Johnson said it’s been several years since she felt like she needed the assistance of the Christmas Bureau.
“It’s been a long time, since our oldest was little-little,” she said.
Her appearance at the Bureau was a bit of an accident.
“I kind of was just in town and heard about it,” she said. “It was spur of the moment.”
Her 3-year-old daughter, Cove, walked confidently into the toy room, reaching out to touch toys and push buttons. Johnson said she’s happy she was able to visit the Bureau and pick out toys for her kids.
“We probably wouldn’t have been able to do much of anything this year,” she said.
The Christmas Bureau is a joint effort by Catholic Charities, Volunteers of America and The Spokesman-Review to provide a grocery store voucher to families in need, plus a toy and a book for each child.
Nicole Morgan was delighted to see the one thing she was hoping to find: a Laugh and Learn DJ table for her 1-year-old son. She said she’d been trying to find one since seeing a TikTok video of a child playing with one. Her son loves music, Morgan said.
“We’ve been looking everywhere,” she said of the toy. “He’s gonna love it. This is the thing I was coming in here hoping for. I’m excited.”
The toy would have been difficult for Morgan to afford, and she said she’s glad she was able to find a babysitter so she could come visit the Bureau during the first evening session.
“I’m so busy during the day with the baby,” she said.
Angie Bradley also found the one toy she was looking for, which stopped her in her tracks while she was browsing for gifts for her three children.
Bradley said she asked her daughter that morning what she wanted for Christmas and was told a cash register, though she’s not sure why her daughter asked for it.
“She asked for a cash register,” she said of her 4-year-old daughter, staring at the box containing a toy cash register, complete with a credit card machine, shelves and fake food. “That’s a cash register.”
Cash register in hand, she kept looking for gifts for her 9- and 12-year-old boys.
Bradley said her husband stayed home with the kids so she could come to the Bureau. His work is mostly seasonal, and he doesn’t make much money in the winter, she said.
The Christmas Bureau allows Bradley to provide more than the stocking stuffers she can afford on her own.
“This is Santa’s gift,” she said. “This is the big item.”
Another holiday tradition is to allow each child to request a box of their favorite type of sugary cereal, something Bradley doesn’t normally buy. She gets them other special food items as well, things she can use her grocery voucher to buy.
Each family who goes through the Bureau receives a $30 grocery store voucher that they can use to provide a bit of Christmas cheer on their menu, as well as the toys and books that give children something to unwrap on Christmas Day.
Donations
Donations to fund the Christmas Bureau have passed the halfway point of the $600,000 fundraising goal, with new donations of $30,497.96 pushing the year-to-date total to $317,182.92.
Jim and Maggie Randall donated $15,000, writing, “The Christmas Fund is one of the best charities to serve the underprivileged families in Spokane. It is always an honor to be able to participate in this.”
Rick and Diane Betts, of Spokane, donated $3,000.
Kathy and Bruce Bixler, of Spokane, contributed $1,500. “A big thank you to the Spokesman and all the volunteers for your continued support of this wonderful Christmas fund!” they wrote. “Merry Christmas.” Gary and Susan Bloom, of Spokane, also sent $1,500.
Tim Crabb donated $1,000. “Greetings,” he wrote. “With a tremendous and deep sense of thankfulness, gratitude and appreciation for how blessed my life has flowed, I realize that the time has come for me to pay back, make amends and restitution for an error of my youth. Based on those feelings, I wish to donate $1,000 to the Christmas Fund in the name of, honor of and respect for Bill, Bob and Dick Billings of the Cheney Savage House Pizza Parlor of the early 70s.”
Ronald Schoenberger, of Spokane, gave $1,000. “I am writing to express my sincere admiration for the vital work you do supporting our local community of citizens in need around the time of the holidays,” he wrote. “Your commitment to this goal is truly inspiring. Please accept my check in the amount of $1,000 as a token of my support. I hope this contribution will help you continue your important work. Thank you for making such a positive difference. I look forward to seeing the continued impact of your efforts.”
Keith Comes donated $1,000 via PayPal.
Rick and Diana Wilhite, of Spokane Valley, donated $500. “We donate this year in honor of the volunteers who make this event happen,” they wrote. “Our parents instilled in us the value of giving back what we can to help our community thrive.”
Linda Ashlock, of Liberty Lake, gave $500. Bill and Dorene Reynolds, of Spokane, also contributed $500. William and Merilee Dinneen sent $500. David and Karen Crouse, of Hauser, Idaho, donated $500.
Warren Stout sent $500 via PayPal “in memory of Charlotte Stout and Art Hanson, past Christmas Bureau volunteers.”
Dennis and Patricia Doyle, of Spokane, gave $300, writing, “May God bless all of you.” Leslie Zilka, of Liberty Lake, also sent $300. “Thank you for all you do,” she wrote. “I volunteered for years at the event and love to see the appreciation.” Tom, Darlene, McKenzie and Tanner Caldwell, of Spokane Valley, donated $300 “in memory of Craig, Sandy and Dolly.”
An anonymous Spokane donor sent $250 “in memory of Robert ‘El Biggo’ Switzer, the original Christmas spirit.”
An anonymous donor from Moscow, Idaho, sent $200, writing, “Thank you for all you do and respecting the dignity and worth of all of us in this area.” Larry and Tudy Hatch, of Spokane, gave $200. Diane Drysdale contributed $200 via PayPal.
Steve and Rosanna Palmer, of Spokane, contributed $150. Barry and Deborah Cross donated $150. “Thank you for your yearly efforts to make the new year a happy and safe one for all the folks that need that added level of support – especially now during the Christmas season,” they wrote. “Enclosed, please find a check to the Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund in the amount of $150, which we are proud to contribute this year as we have the past several years. As before, the Cross family would like this donation to be made in the memory of Ryan A. Cross. Thanks again for your and all the volunteers’ efforts this season.”
Carol Braun, of Spokane, sent $150. “Many thanks for the Christmas Bureau and all they do for families in need,” she wrote. “A Merry Christmas to all of you!”
Wyatt and Liam Schrader gave $100. Marilee Roloff, the Christmas Bureau’s head book buyer, sent $100. “This donation is from the wonderful UPS driver who delivers thousands of children’s books to my house,” she wrote. Loren and Patricia Guenther, of Mead, donated $100. Russell and Susanna Cornell, of Spokane Valley, contributed $100. Steven and Cyndy Alexander, of Otis Orchards, gave $100.
Nancy and John Mackerrow, of Spokane, donated $100. Sharon and John Sutton, of Spokane, contributed $100. An anonymous Deer Park donor gave $100. Judith Colbert, the Ackerman Family and Marcia Vance each donated $100 via PayPal.
Debbie and Jay Humphrey, of Spokane, sent $50 “in memory of Frank, Vera and Paul Romero.” Catherine Priddy donated $50 via PayPal “in honor of Susie LeMay.” Deborah Carpenter gave $50 via PayPal.
An anonymous Spokane Valley donor gave $40, writing, “Thanks to all who help make it happen!”
Ruthie Dearing, of Spokane Valley, sent $25. Constance Carlin Brooker and Sue Maggio each donated $25 via PayPal.