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Donate gifts for East Campus’ holiday outreach
November 30, 2007
East Campus Holiday Outreach Program is seeking donations to bring Christmas cheer and hope to more than 300 local, low-income families.
Donations of new and gently-used toys, books and board games for children ages three to eight are needed. All items must be unwrapped. Donations will be collected at the annual Christmas Luncheon on Dec. 13 at 11:30 a.m. in Olson Auditorium.
East Campus is taking a different approach this year. In the past, the center hosted a holiday workshop where children and parents could pick out gifts for all members of their family.
However, only about 25 percent of the families served by East Campus were touched by the workshop because children could only attend if a parent brought them. That meant that the 160 children in the Head Start program were left out, explained Ruth Kohler, manager of the Wellness Center and an organizer of the event.
This year, Head Start sent home permission slips and asked parents to identify presents that their child wants or needs. At this year’s Christmas party, the children will sit on Santa’s lap and receive a gift. Kohler hopes to match the requests from parents to a similar donated item.
Top toy requests include legos, trucks and cars, Spiderman action figures, arts and crafts supplies and ethnic dolls, as many of the families are Hispanic or African American. Parents also requested educational tools, such as board games and books.
For more information, or to sponsor a child, contact Kohler at ext. 8753 or kohlerrm@plu.edu.
The Holiday Outreach Program is sponsored by Community Services at East Campus, which includes the Family Support Center and MOMS/Women’s Recovery; Tacoma Pierce County Health Department’s Family Support Center; the Franklin Pierce School District Head Start Preschool Program; and PLU’s Wellness Center, Couples and Family Therapy Center, and the Center for Public Service.
East Campus is taking a different approach this year. In the past, the center hosted a holiday workshop where children and parents could pick out gifts for all members of their family.
However, only about 25 percent of the families served by East Campus were touched by the workshop because children could only attend if a parent brought them. That meant that the 160 children in the Head Start program were left out, explained Ruth Kohler, manager of the Wellness Center and an organizer of the event.
This year, Head Start sent home permission slips and asked parents to identify presents that their child wants or needs. At this year’s Christmas party, the children will sit on Santa’s lap and receive a gift. Kohler hopes to match the requests from parents to a similar donated item.
Top toy requests include legos, trucks and cars, Spiderman action figures, arts and crafts supplies and ethnic dolls, as many of the families are Hispanic or African American. Parents also requested educational tools, such as board games and books.
For more information, or to sponsor a child, contact Kohler at ext. 8753 or kohlerrm@plu.edu.
The Holiday Outreach Program is sponsored by Community Services at East Campus, which includes the Family Support Center and MOMS/Women’s Recovery; Tacoma Pierce County Health Department’s Family Support Center; the Franklin Pierce School District Head Start Preschool Program; and PLU’s Wellness Center, Couples and Family Therapy Center, and the Center for Public Service.