This holiday season, the Cook County Salvation Army Service Unit is working to ensure that our community has a “Merry Christmas for All.” The “Merry Christmas for All” program is seeking participants—people who need some help purchasing gifts for under the Christmas tree, donors who would like to help financially and volunteers to help with gift giving logistics.
Pastor Dale McIntire, one of the “Merry Christmas for All” organizers, explains that the purpose of the program is to assist a family that may be facing financial difficulties over the holidays. “Maybe it’s a grandmother on a limited budget who would like to buy a gift for her grandchild or a mom and dad who can pay the bills but can’t buy toys—that’s who we’d like to reach,” said McIntire.
Organizers encourage community members who need help this year to stop by and fill out an application for “Merry Christmas for All.” Forms and information are available at several locations in the community: any local church, the Birch Grove Community Center, and at Grand Marais or Grand Portage Human Services. Applications are being accepted now until Friday, November 20.
After that date, “Merry Christmas for All” volunteers will go through applications to create anonymous Christmas wish lists. The information will be available at the North Shore Federal Credit Union beginning November 27 until December 16. A Christmas tree in the credit union lobby will contain cards with gift items. Donors can take a card, purchase a gift and bring it back to the credit union. Gifts must be returned to the credit union by Wednesday, December 16.
Distribution of the gifts to those who submitted applications will be at the Grand Marais Senior Center on Saturday, December 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon.
The Salvation Army would happily welcome volunteers to help with gift collection and distribution tasks. There are also opportunities to take part in the Salvation Army “Family Match” program, “adopting” an entire family. For more information, contact Pastor McIntire at (218) 387-2090.
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