While you miscreants are busy fighting the War on Christmas, please remember one important thing:

[Lyric]

Don't forget to donate to your local charity organizations to help buy holiday food baskets, toys, and warm clothes for poor families. I know it's still early November, but this is the time of the year when those donations are being accepted. If you wait too long, you might miss out on the chance to help.

Also, if you have a J.C. Penney's in your area, they are the department store that's hosting the Angel Tree program this year. You choose a child's "angel" from the tree, which has a list of clothing sizes, shoes sizes, and a couple of wished-for toy items. Then you pick what to buy from the list (you're not obligated to buy everything), wrap the items, put them into a bag, and return them to your local Salvation Army, where they'll be delivered to the needy child you chose.

I realize that the Salvation Army is offensive to a lot of people, but this program is one of the purely GOOD things that they do, and I support it 100%. As someone whose family went from a period of financial security to a long stretch of poverty thanks to a job loss and medical problems, I've been on both sides of the Angel Tree program--both as a giver and a receiver. There were years when 3/4's of the Angels on the tree never got adopted (including my son's), and we had to accept help from friends in order to give LyricKid a Christmas (DU friends actually--they know who they are, and they know that we will be eternally grateful). Those years broke my heart; although we had caring friends to turn to, many of the other unchosen children went without.

I know that Christmas is supposed to be about family and love--and it IS--but it's still damned hard to be a child on Christmas morning and wake up to find nothing under the tree. It happened to me when I was a kid. I remember spending hours trying to figure out what my siblings and I had done that was bad enough for Santa to have left us nothing. That's when I first realized that when my Sunday School class talked about "poor children" and asked us to save change to donate to "poor families"...they were talking about US. That's a hard, hard thing for a 7-year-old girl to learn. I'd do just about ANYTHING to spare (or at least delay) that heartbreaking moment for another poor child.

I know things are hard for all of us right now, but anything at all you can spare would be a blessing to those kids out there who need someone to look out for them this Christmas. If you don't want to do it via the Salvation Army, try to find another local charity that has a similar program. The local National Guard often does a "Santa Morning" where poor kids are given breakfast with "Santa" and toys. Try calling your local Unitarian Universalist church--they might know of a worthy program that you can help out.

From a former poor kid--thank you in advance. And I hope all of us have a wonderful holiday season.

My favorite ornament from our tree:



:grouphug:

[liberalmuse]

1. They do much more good than harm...

so I give to them when I can.

[davidinalameda]

2. the Salvation Army has worked against rights for gays and lesbians

if this is what you call doing more good than harm, hate to see what you think is actually more harmful than good

[REP]

5. They're also anti-choice

Blood and Fire is a great motto, and the SA used to be a good organization but that time has passed.

[emilyg]

8. So do I.

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. Thanks for the heads up. Will head over to JCP this weekend.

:hug:

K&R

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. Thanks for the heads up. Will head over to JCP this weekend.

:hug:

K&R

[jillan]

6. We always do a Christmas Angel. If I can bring joy to a child at Christmas, it's worth everything.

[Ernesto]

7. Salvation "army" === Staunchly Anti Union!...... n/t

[demigoddess]

9. how about supporting Goodwill, they train people for jobs

that lasts longer than just presents and a meal. Any disagreements??

[auntsue]

10. hopefully, the idea is to give whatever you can

to some place that helps others and fits in with one's ideals. I belong to a great welcoming progressive episcopal church and I give time and money there. Do what's right for you - just don't forget the truly needy.

[Lyric]

11. We're talking about children. Not adults.

By all means, help the adults who have childcare and transportation find jobs. Be my guest. But in the meantime, there are still millions of needy children who aren't going to be ready for "job training" any time soon.

Edited to remove my former snarky retort, as I don't feel it's appropriate in this thread.

[leftyclimber]

14. Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?

/scrooge

We're talking about little kids here. They have no say in what parents they get or what kinds of jobs their parents do or don't have. Let them have a decent holiday, where they can go back to school after winter break and say that they got cool stuff for Christmas just like the other kids who were lucky enough to have parents with decently paying jobs.

It's not little kids' fault that their parents are poor. They shouldn't be made to feel like less because their parent can't afford Santa Claus right this very second.

- lefty "been out of work since August but not eligible for UI because I was on a graduate assistantship and today is my kid's birthday so you can imagine exactly how much fun that was" climber

[FloridaJudy]

15. Every Christmas I try to give to someone who needs it more

Than I do, and I'm anything but rich. I was forced to take early retirement/Social Security after fruitlessly looking for work for several years. But I'm one of the lucky ones: at least I don't have to worry about taking care of small children.

The gifts don't have to be huge, but at least let the recipients know that someone cares about them! Sure, let's all do our best to repair the safety net, and work to make a more just society, but in the meantime a little charity won't hurt. And it'll make you feel good as well.

Oh, and I'm not even a Christian, but the spirit of generosity transcends religion.

[Gormy Cuss]

12. Some newspapers sponsor "Season of Giving" or Santa fund drives

Like you Lyric I've been on both sides of this charity and it makes a huge difference for a young child.

The Marine Corps' Toys for Tots drive is another.

[Dystopian]

16. KandR.

Thank you for posting this....
For our children...
Beautiful ornament :hug:


peace~

[Richard Steele]

17. I will put my issues with the Salvation Army aside for a moment and K&R this for the kids.

As a former Salvation Army Family Store manager,
I can tell you that the organization as a whole
needs to suck a candy bar out of my ass and choke on it.

"Corrupt and misguided" does not properly describe those people,
but it's a good starting point.

However, as long as they need to maintain their charitable facade,
they continue to do some GOOD things here and there,
and I'm willing to play along while little kids
are unwrapping their Christmas presents.

K&R

[Lyric]

13. Agreed.

I dislike the Salvation Army on a personal level, but their Angel Tree program is truly the ONE unadulterated "good" thing that they do. They really just act as a hub where donors and needy kids can connect; they don't get any financial benefit from the program because the toys and clothes go directly from the donors to the kids.

[REP]

20. The local SA org in my hometown had an excellent utility assistance program

No preaching, no lectures, no requirement to join - just bring the cut-off notice and leave with the bill paid and food if it was needed. I sent a lot of people to them over the years (and was a SA supporter for years). They also had a great band. I just can't support them in a general sense any more; they've strayed too far from what they used to be.

Notice I am kicking the thread though for the info on all the holiday gift programs.

[phasma ex machina]

18. Our poor will need more help than ever this year because Bernanke keeps raising the price of food

and fuel.

[RainDog]

19. K&R n/t

[Pab Sungenis]

21. Anti-gay, anti-choice. No. Unrec.

Give money locally to more worthy local groups.

[Lyric]

22. First, the Angel Tree isn't "giving" to the Salvation Army. The only thing you "give"

is presents and clothes to poor kids. And *I* am gay--as is my partner of 10 years. I loathe the SA, but this program does not benefit them. At all. They're just the delivery people. They get nothing from people who choose an Angel. The only people who "get" something are the kids that get chosen.

If you don't want to get a name from the Angel Tree, then don't. But please don't pretend like I'm asking people to donate to the Salvation Army. This is NOT, I repeat, NOT a donation to them.

And yes, many communities have some kind of alternative--which I also mentioned in the OP, along with some suggestions for those alternatives.

But thanks for the negativity.

[mitchtv]

24. No to the SA

not one nickel, sorry. Homophobia has its price

[pipi_k]

28. As a couple of people above have pointed out...

this isn't a donation TO the Salvation Army.



But why let that fact stand in the way of hurting a kid for the sake of making a point...

[mitchtv]

29. there are plenty of other ways to give

I resent your implication that not associating with those scumbags hurts children, take that shit elsewhere

[Lyric]

23. The Angel Tree does NOT benefit the Salvation Army. It's not a donation to them.

There seems to be some confusion about this, so please let me explain more fully. The SA acts as a hub where people who wish to help can find the names of kids who NEED help. Participating does not give the Salvation Army a single nickel of your money. You just choose a name at your local J.C. Penneys, you buy whatever you want to buy for the kids, and you drop off the wrapped presents for the kids' parents to pick up later. Participating does not "support" the Salvation Army. It supports poor kids at Christmas. Nothing more.

I wouldn't give a penny to the SA myself, but this program doesn't require me to. It's just an easy way to connect with kids who need your help. It's probably the only 100% selfless thing that this organization does. They get NOTHING from the people who buy presents for kids. Your presents go directly to the kids on pickup day.

If you want to give food or money for holiday baskets, then I encourage you to contact your local UU church to find a more appropriate venue for that. The SA does give away holiday food baskets, but there's a chance that they keep some of that money for administrative costs, so another program would likely be better for food and cash donations.

:hi:

[CBR]

25. The Marines were set up this week at Babies R Us collecting for

Toys for Tots.

[Iggo]

26. Can't do Salvation Army....

...but I'll find something.

[L0oniX]

27. Fuck christmas ...give me the fucking toys now damn it all!

:sarcasm:

[AnArmyVeteran]

30. I'm overwhelmed by your overflowing joy!

Merry something and a happy something else :).