The gift of giving

Before long, when the leaves have fallen and the weather turns cold, several organizations in town will ask that people spread some holiday cheer by giving to those who may not be able to afford Christmas presents or even daily meals.

The Jaycees' Toybox, among other programs, provides toys for children in the city of Cape Girardeau.

"I anticipate another year of high need and dwindling donations," said Tracy Haggerty with Toybox. "We are currently starting the 2009 project well below budget due to the economic strains on donations last year."

Toybox partners with the Salvation Army to identify families in need and get toys to them. The program, run through a partnership between the Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian, is in its 35th year. In 2008, Haggerty reported the program helped more than 1,500 children in the area.

Another toy program started its 62nd year on Nov. 5. The Toys for Tots program, sponsored by the Marine Corps, started in 1947 in Los Angeles. It accepts applications from the county family services offices in Cape Girardeau and surrounding counties. Loretta Welter, with Cape Girardeau Family Services, said they tend to focus on families outside Cape Girardeau because Toybox serves those families.

Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots donation box Friday afternoon, November 30, 2007, outside Jackson Wal-Mart. (Kit Doyle)

"There is a much greater need for any side of the fence," inside Cape Girardeau and in the county, Welter said.

"You've got so many different [programs] out there," to deliver toys, she said. "The important thing is if you can give, give."

Along with processing applications for toy programs, The Salvation Army serves Thanksgiving dinner and provides Christmas food baskets. Starting Monday, shoppers will see the familiar Salvation Army bell ringers at various posts around town.

Student Santas is also sponsoring a toy drive. Staci Class, vice president of Student Santas, said her organization collected 6,000 toys in 2008 and hopes to collect 8,000 toys this year to help local families.

Student Santas accepts letters of need from people in the community. Class said volunteers call families to evaluate their situation.

"We hand deliver the toys ourselves so we see how these people live," Class said.

Student Santas was able to help more than 400 families in 2008. Class said in addition to the typical requests for toys, sometimes the organization can help families with clothing and meal delivery.

Local police departments are also conducting toy drives, and other organizations are collecting items for senior citizens. Christmas for the Elderly will be accepting donations at the Southeast Missourian until Dec. 17. Christmas for the Elderly focuses more on collecting necessities like laundry detergent, paper products, hygiene items and other household items.

John McGowan with the United Way said interested seniors should be receiving assistance from the Department of Health and Senior Services and should contact their case manager for information. He said often recipients of Christmas for the Elderly have no family and will not be receiving a lot for Christmas.

"For some, this is the only Christmas they will have," McGowan said. "They only ask for what they need."

For individuals wishing to donate beyond the local area, Operation Christmas Child offers a way for families to assist children living around the world. The National Operation Christmas Child collection week is Monday through Nov. 23. Local collection points are St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau and First Baptist Church in Millersville. Operation Christmas Child also requests $7 per shoe box to offset shipping costs.

Samaritan's Purse collects shoe boxes full of toys, school supplies and personal hygiene items and send them around the world to brighten the holidays globally.