Managing the holidays can be challenging for any family. When you add in searching for housing, employment, and other topical matters, this time of year can be difficult for the hundreds of men, women, and children that we serve. Here are a few ways you can make a difference this Christmas:

Adopt-A-Family – Because everyone should believe in Santa Claus! Support a family in need this Christmas by adopting a family from one of our programs. Through this website, choose a size of family that you would like to sponsor by fulfilling a couple of items from their needs and want lists. Each family will come with details to help you personalize the gifts that you choose to purchase. When they receive their gifts on Christmas Day, know that you will have helped our agency in Making Miracles this season!

Click here to adopt a family or follow the link:

http://tinyurl.com/saehcmiracles2012

Sponsor A Christmas Meal – SAEHC aims to promote and preserve family traditions in all of their programs. For our transitional and permanent supportive housing programs this Christmas, in lieu of canned goods, we request that donors consider purchasing a $25-$50 gift card from the supermarket of their choice. By allowing families to shop for their favorite ingredients and use their own recipes we hope that we can make their holiday season a bit cozier this year! Any food that is collected will still go to a great use, so the choice is yours!

Christmas Serving – Each year, our agency relies on the generosity of volunteers to assist in our shelter kitchen to help prepare brunch and dinner on Christmas Eve and Christmas. We are currently looking for groups, families, and individuals to join us on December 24 and 25 to roll up their sleeves and help cook a meal for our participants at the family shelter.  Volunteers are welcome to sign up for a 4-hour shift in either the morning or afternoon and help us set-up, cook, serve, and clean. The shelter will have food ready to be prepared, but if groups would like to sponsor and arrange a special meal, we are more than happy to oblige!

Food Basket Preparation – SAEHC is incredibly fortunate every year to receive holiday food items from a variety of donors. This also means that we need volunteers to help us put together food baskets for some of our programs. Volunteers are needed on Tuesday, December 20 from late morning to early afternoon to organize and pack turkeys, ham, pies, and other Christmas staples.