As most of you know, we have started a tradition here at Freebies2Deals to always give back during the Holidays. We get such great deals throughout the year, and save our families a ton of money. But there are so many families out there that are seriously struggling. I am always SO amazed by all of your generosity and what we are able to accomplish with our Secret Santa Projects!
In 2010, we donated full Christmases to 25 needy families! I did a video of that adventure here, if you haven’t seen it.
In 2011, we donated a bunch of toys to The Primary Children’s Medical Center to their Children’s Cancer Unit. Here is a video, if you missed it.
In 2012, we donated tons of Coats and Warm items to the Utah Youth Village. And we donated food, toys and more to the families staying at The Ronald McDonald house. You can watch the video here.
In 2013, although I was in the middle of selling our home, packing and moving, we still pulled off an amazing amount of donations to the Children with Cancer Foundation. You can see that video here.
Going back and watching those videos makes me just so proud to be associated with all of you! Your donations have been beyond generous and it makes all of that crazy deal shopping we do all year long totally worth it!
For 2014, I have no idea who to donate to. So that is where you guys come in. If you know of any organizations, places, locations, etc, that need some serious help, will you please comment and let me know?? We are all inter-connected. So I am sure that by putting our heads together we can pick a worthy cause to donate Christmas items to this year!
So please comment and give me your ideas!! And start collecting toys and items you can give any time you see a great deal. We will need them very soon. Thanks so much!!
lourdes sanchez
Our childrens pediatrician adopts babies and children abandoned in hospitals that have dissabilities. Many parents just leave them there and the nurses call him because they know he will always accept them. Their house burned down in a fire and they have had to rebuild and their funds just aren’t there for these kids to have a nice christmas. He and his wife are in major need of toys for christmas for them. Please visit his website https://possibledream.org/, i know you will be moved. Please consider this opportunity, he really is a great man and his wife is also. Such beautiful people! Please let me know anything i can do. thank you Lourdes
lourdes sanchez
oh and i just saw their facebook page, and it was 2 fires, that destroyed one house a few years ago, and another fire destroying their next house also this year in february. incredible! please help!!! https://www.facebook.com/possibledreamfoundation
Chelsea
I vote for Millie’s Princess Foundation or the Anything Can Be project! Look them up! They are local charities who give back 100% of everything donated!
Brittany
You should look at my friends family story with their son Ethan. A lot of people know them near you so you may have already but look up Ethan’s Team on my Facebook page or search it. You have donated so much to the Children with Cancer Fund and Primary Childrens but this would be great to look into as well.
Jessica Muelleck
Hearts Knit Together is an amazing organization that puts together kits for battered women and children arriving at shelters in Utah. Most of them escape with just the clothes on their backs and she provides a kit with children’s items, toiletries, towels etc. to be there on their bed when they arrive at the shelter. Each kit is themed and beautiful. They are always needing towels, toiletries , baby supplies etc. Check out the facebook page for more info – search Hearts Knit Together Linda Simmons
Tara
I am so excited about this! There is this organization called Hearts Knit Together that would be great. It helps womens and children of domedtic violence who have had to escape their husbands with a lot of times just the clothes on their back. They also help refugees. The director is Linda Simmons and their website is heartsknittogether.org. Good luck!
Cami
Op
Ambrey
The homeless shelters are generally packed during this season, as the weather become cold and families look for shelter. As a teacher in a low income area I have had many of my students who live in shelters and they have nothing. Coats, clothing, toys, school supplies, theybhave none of it. Even looking into some of the schools that are in low income areas and contacting their administration. There have been a few years i I have been able to put together fundraisers in my own community to bring in coats for kids. As many of my suptudents come in to school wearing their parents coats or no coats in the dead of winter.
Hope
local military families—our service members give so much of themselves and their families sacrifice so much as well, all for very little pay.
Amber
There is a BYU professor that started serving head start families. Many of them live in very impoverished conditions. I can get you his contact information if you need it. Also, another idea came because I have seen families struggle with spouses with cancer. Especially when the patient was the primary bread winner. Maybe help with patients at Huntsman?
Denise
I know of a local family whose husband/father had a liver transplant earlier this year. If you’d like to contact me about this family I can give you more info.
Keirstin
My vote is for Hearts Knit Together or somehow serving the homeless.
Jennifer Morris
Homeless youth resource center (volunteers if America)in slc. I worked there for a year and there are a ton of needy youth ages 15-23 that are in need of everyday items. You can also donate gift cards because they use them as incentives. You can contact them for a wish list.
Justin
HopeKids Utah
“Restoring Hope. Transforming Lives.
HopeKids provides ongoing events & activities and a powerful, unique support community for families who have a child with cancer or some other life-threatening medical condition. We surround these remarkable children and their families with the message that hope can be a powerful medicine”.
HopeKids Utah Executive Director: Kim Lewis
Phone: 801-726-9579
kim@HopeKids.org
https://www.hopekids.org/
Chantee Galloway
A population that often gets forgotten is the elderly. I didn’t know of a specific charity but the skilled nursing facilities and assisted living could always use quilts, slippers, among other things. There are several elderly that have no family and feel forgotten during this time of year.
Glyneice
I think children in homeless shelters. They are already having to deal with not having a home giving them Christmas maybe the one thing that makes them feel like a kid. Most kids get to live carefree without a worry in the world but these kids don’t have that luxury!
Sandra Jordan
This is the link to St. Anne’s Center/Mission located in Ogden Utah.(https://www.stannescenter.org/donate.html) This page will show you all the donated items they are in need of which range from Food, Clothing, Cleaning supplies, Hygiene Products etc. This is their Mission: St. Anne’s Center exists to aid the poor, needy and homeless by providing them food, shelter and critical emergency services. We provide a hand up rather than a hand out. Our goal is to transition residents from shelter to housing; encouraging their sense of independence, self-sufficiency and self-confidence. We are committed to carry out this mission while treating those who come to us with compassion, dignity and respect. The other suggestion would be anything that benefits Special Needs Children/Autism. My Husband and I donate to St. Anne’s as often as we are able to: such as clothing/food/toys. Shopping and saving with coupons allows us to do this. I wish more people would use those coupons when there are hot deals with food items and donate them to any shelter or mission. Thank you for time and consideration:)
Kristen
Many school districts now do a “Weekend Backpack” program with foods that are easy for kids to cook like Ravioli or Chicken Noodle Soup. Several groups like God’s Pantry or God’s Outreach often support them. It’s a pretty amazing program and benefits LOTS of children in many communities.
Jane
I really like the idea of something for military families, or a coat drive/something for homeless youth.
crystal Christensen
A Childs shelter or the food and care coalition. They help out a lot in the Utah county area.
Madelyn
I know of a family who’s dad had a brain tumor and with all the missed work, medical bills, and the likely hood of him having brain surgery over the holidays, there 6 children are not likely to get a Christmas this year. I wonder if you could send them and other families like them on your Disney trip? Just a thought.
Mary
Hearts Knit Together gets one vote. Another vote goes to Tiny Tim’s Foundation for Kids headed by Alton Thacker. Search for the name or email tinytimsfoundationforkids@gmail.com. They send out toy cars and other items all over the world for underprivileged children.
Laurie Ann
Homeless shelter for women/children is my vote.
Sunny Crane
My vote is for a young mother of two who is diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Her husband recently left her and their children. She works as a cook at an elementary to support her family. She rarely complains and is a strong, hard working lady!
Kelly
I wonder in a case like this if their wouldn’t be specific readers who would be more than willing to take on doing Christmas for this family? What I’m suggesting is maybe we as a group could chose a bigger project or organization and the individual families could be listed somewhere (with a contact who knows them personally) and if a reader wanted to sponsor that family they could contact the person who referenced them. I love the idea of giving back as whole, but I also like to get my children involved and letting them participate in the actual shopping and delivery. Make sense?? 🙂
Maria Davis
Hi Good evening
I am also with others who said HOMELESS SHELTERS BUT BATTERED WOMENAND CHILDRENS SHELTERS … My husband is the Director of Transitional housing BARN their website is http://www.barninc.org the beautiful stories that come from overcoming abusive relationships, hard shops, living in cars with children and how BARN helps these strong beautiful women to get them back on their feet with work, sometimes housing writhing 2years and especially their dignity back is beautiful. Please take just a couple of minutes to look over and I’m sure my hubby would love to give more info if needed. Thanks for all you already do, I am super sure that whoever the help goes to will be the best choice 🙂
God bless
Mary
S Mcclenny
Please consider giving to an independent living center.The clients benefit though learning how to negotiate the various systems.Many clients benefit from having sample size personal items, like laundry degrent, so they can get a job .These small donations help so many of them..
Amber Michelle
Wounded Warrior Project — family services.
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org
“The greatest casualty is being forgotten.”
Liz Woolf
Many Head Start families will struggle this year. Many of them struggle every year. Having even one or two gifts for each child, not just the one in preschool would make a big difference to them. I know, because we are a Head Start family.
nancy
two suggestions:
1) UAID; utah assoc for intellectual disabilities
2) Family Support Center
Both of these are two LOCAL charities that can use donations to help others in our community
Angie Barth
I was hoping you would adopt some families again.There is a family I know that has had the worst year ever.The lady down the street and her husband Fred took in there three little granddaughters who were newborn,2and 9 at the time because their dad had brain cancer and their mom is unfit .cheryl the grandma’s mom died last spring and in june their son the girls dad died from his cancer and two days before his funeral Fred the grandpa was rushed to the hospital and he had to miss his sons funeral.Fred was released a week later only to return a few days later were he was about a month until he too passed away.Now Cheryl is raising these three girls who are now 10,3 and,1 and she still has a 17 year old daughter living at home.Cheryl works night’s at a grocery store and I am.sure she ended up with tons of hospital bills and funeral bills so Christmas must be very stressful. Anyway I thought it would be nice if maybe someone could maybe help them out a little.