For some, the season of giving got its start Saturday.
Again this year, the News Tribune is rounding up some of the efforts community members are making on behalf of their neighbors for the holidays.
There are numerous opportunities to volunteer to help, support families or provide gifts for children. This should not be considered a comprehensive list of the many ways organizations are giving to children, families and the elderly.
Hope for Christmas
Hope for Christmas, which provides assistance during Christmas for families who have suffered a health or other crisis during the previous six to eight months, on Saturday published online its first list of clients needing "adoption."
Executive Director Vicki Bullock said, as usual, the nonprofit began interviewing prospective clients at the beginning of September.
Generally, clients are referred by organizations, doctors, clinics, hospitals, churches or other professional facilities. The in-need families may have lost a parent or child, or have someone with is suffering from cancer or another illness. Families are helped one time. Hope for Christmas highlights isolated seniors -- those who may not have anyone with whom to celebrate Christmas -- for adoption.
"Sometimes we get referrals in June or July," Bullock said. "Then, we begin putting our families together."
She checks out the stories and sets up interviews with families in September.
The stories will break your heart, Bullock said.
"You may have a 9-year-old boy that just wants to take care of his mom because his dad died," she said.
Once interviews are done, Bullock puts together a synopsis of each story, which goes on the Hope for Christmas website -- www.hopeforchristmasjcmo.org.
People or businesses look over the clients and choose which they'd like to adopt for the holiday.
The number of families referred to the organization is smaller than before. However, the number of seniors has tripled what it has been in the past, Bullock said.
"It looks like we're going to focus a lot on senior citizens this year," she continued. "We have a lot of people that really want to help our seniors. It's a good thing all the way around."
The nonprofit leaves how much is spent on families for Christmas entirely up to the people who adopt, Bullock said. But the organization does keep gifts available to supplement giving if necessary. Gifts are delivered (unwrapped) to the Redeem Project/Hope for Christmas office, where volunteers check for appropriate ages and genders and do the wrapping.
Wrapping is done at about all hours. Wrapping generally begins the first of December.
Financial donations are appreciated. From now until Oct. 15, a supporter will match financial gifts. Gifts may be given at vinmo@redeemproject or drop off cash or checks.
To volunteer or to donate, call Bullock at 573-353-4720.
Samaritan Center
Like the rest of the nonprofits on this list, the Samaritan Center gives hope to families year-round.
It will distribute Halloween costumes, candy and some decorations to families during its regular distribution of food pantry items, according to operations manager Ben DeFeo.
"We are collecting Halloween costumes. We've got about 75 right now. We're waiting to see if we get more donations," DeFeo said.
If enough donations come in, the nonprofit may be able to let clients "shop" for costumes in its clothing room.
Thanksgiving will pose new challenges this year, he said.
The nonprofit distributes products to make Thanksgiving dinners to clients each year. They may be challenging to pay for this year, DeFeo said. Staff hope donors will be helpful, he said.
"When we talked to stores, they said turkeys are going to be monumentally expensive, just like other groceries," he said. "(But) they're not calling for a shortage, like they did last year."
The grocery store next to the nonprofit, Save A Lot, went out of business about two weeks ago.
The grocer was generous about allowing the nonprofit to purchase items and leave them in its refrigeration/freezers.
Turkeys are difficult to store because they are very large, DeFeo said.
"We don't have that big of a freezer," he said. "Turkeys take a whole lot of space. It's going to be a challenge.
Samaritan Center has begun Christmas adoption sign-ups.
When clients enter the center, they update their file information. They respond to question-and-answer sheets with number of people in the household, clothing sizes and other helpful information.
"We'll start interviews and registering people Monday. That goes all through October," DeFeo said.
Some rules remain the same -- clients have to be in Cole County for adoption and have to have at least one child in the house under 13.
"If they don't qualify for that, we still have Santa's Workshop. It will be more in-person this year," he said.
Santa's Workshop should go through the first three weeks of December.
The Samaritan Center needs volunteers -- people interested in volunteering for seasonal help. To volunteer, call the Samaritan Center at 573-634-7776 and ask for Amber Scheidt.
Operation Christmas Child
Through Operation Christmas Child, folks may give gifts to children around the world. Last year, Jefferson City and Cole County sent 20,777 gifts to children in struggling communities.
Operation Christmas Child is a project from the international relief organization called Samaritan's Purse. Through the program, Samaritan's Purse provides local partners around the world with shoe boxes filled with small toys, hygiene items and school supplies, and seeks to demonstrate God's love through each gift.
Area coordinator Michelle Hale said Central Missouri has been so successful taht it is to have an additional distribution site (where boxes are gathered and placed on tractor-trailers) set up this year in Jefferson City.
"On Nov. 21, Concord Baptist Church will be getting in all of the boxes for the northern area of our territory," Hale said. "That will be kind of exciting."
If people pack a shoe box in Fulton, she said, they'll put the boxes in a van and bring it down to Jefferson City.
The age-specific boxes are shipped to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine and disease.
"Show a kid somewhere that you love them," Hale said. "Anybody can get involved. I remember when my boys were little, 2 and 3 years old, I'd take them shopping (for items for the boxes). When they got older, they used their allowance money to pack a box for a kid."
Visit samaritanspurse.org to find out what may be placed in the boxes. Generally, boxes contain toys, school supplies, hygiene products and a "Wow!" gift. It could be a Barbie doll or a deflated soccer ball, with a pump.
"It's odd that a kid will play with a soccer ball by himself as much as with a group of friends," Hale said. "Pray over it and take it to a dropoff location."
Shoe boxes are dropped off the third week of November each year. Times are yet to be finalized. Verified dropoff locations in Jefferson City are Concord Baptist, 3724 W. Truman Blvd., and Memorial Baptist, 1120 Madison St.
In California, drop off boxes at First Baptist Church, 208 S. Oak St. In Holt Summit, drop off boxes at Holt Summit Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, 10864 Platinum Road. In Fulton, drop off boxes at First Baptist Church, 701 Court St. In Ashland, drop off boxes at First Baptist Church, 203 E. Broadway.
Salvation Army
Cooler weather has people pulling out their winter apparel. If that gently used coat doesn't quite fit anymore, wouldn't it be a good time to donate it to the Salvation Army of Jefferson City's annual coat drive?
The drive will occur Oct. 17-28, according to Salvation Army Maj. Sarah Windell.
Right now, new or gently-used coats may be dropped off at any Salvation Army location, City Hall, the Jefferson City Police Department, Grace Episcopal Church and Capital City High School, Windell said.
The Salvation Army's Red Kettle campaign kicks off during an event 11 a.m. Nov. 12 at Capital Mall.
"We will be putting all of our bell-ringers out that morning," Windell said. "At the mall, we will have a Salvation Army brass band. It will play Christmas songs for us. We will have guest speakers talking. We will present our goal. There's always cake."
Signups for bell-ringing are now open at www.registertoring.com. Bell-ringing continues through Dec. 24.
The Salvation Army will provide toys for needy children. Signups are 1-5 p.m. Nov. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 and 10 at the Salvation Army church building, 927 Jefferson St.
Families need only bring proof of address, adult identification and something that includes the child's date of birth.
The nonprofit served about 300 families last year. It partners with Toys 4 Tots to receive many of its toys.
It also has an "Angel Tree" program, and places children's names on Christmas trees around town. It "adopts out" many of its families.
"We have businesses that come and say 'I'd like to do a family,'" Windell said. "This is kind of word-of-mouth."
If anyone wishes to adopt a family, they need to contact the Salvation Army office. Staff will give them all the information they need. Anyone with questions should also call 573-865-1975, Ext. 100.
Toys for Tots
Saturday was also the official kickoff day for Toys for Tots campaign across the nation.
The local Toys for Tots campaign is collecting toys for children in Cole, Miller, Morgan, and Maries counties. The campaign is based at Capital Mall, across from Dunham Sports. It started accepting toys Saturday.
Toy collection boxes are to be distributed Oct. 11. Any organization, business or church wishing to be a distribution site may go to www.toysfortots.org to learn how.
Capital City Players will collect toys and contributions for the Toys for Tots campaign on days they perform "Dracula, The Musical." Those days are Oct. 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22.
Toys will be gathered during "Hogtoberfest," noon-4 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Barn House Harley-Davidson dealership, 912 U.S. Highway 54.
Freedom of Road Riders is to gather toys for the nonprofit during a ride to be held 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 23 (starting at the Barn House).
A "Dine to Donate" event is scheduled for 5-8 p.m. Nov. 1 at Big Whiskey's American Restaurant and Bar, 627 W. McCarty St.
Orscheln Farm and Home will host a toy collection for Toys for Tots from 1-5 p.m. Nov. 18-19 at the Jefferson City store, 2304 Missouri Blvd.
Though Oct. 12, Rusty Drewing Chevrolet, Buick and GMC will be hosting a "fill-a-truck" event at 2033 Christy Drive.
Texas Roadhouse, 3104 S. Ten Mile Drive, will host a "Dine to Donate" event 3-10 p.m. Oct. 25. Toys for Tots Cole County will post a flier on its Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/3062963984032632). You must bring in the flier to participate.
Participants in the annual Society of Creative Anachronism Medieval-style tournament will donate toys noon Nov. 20 at The Zone, 2423 W. Main St.
Building Community Bridges
Organizers at Building Community Bridges began taking donations Saturday for the nonprofit's annual Thanksgiving distribution.
BCB's mission is to uplift and aid youths in the community in respect to self-awareness, education, entrepreneurship and issues that affect their lives. But, over its first five years, it has become a resource for entire families in the community.
It is accepting hams, turkeys, vegetable and chicken broth, gravy mix, dry stuffing mix, instant potatoes, cranberry sauce and financial donations.
BCB will accept donations through Nov. 15.
Items may be dropped off at BCB, 213 E. Ashley St. Food will be distributed 4-6 p.m. Nov. 21-22.
The nonprofit will accept new or gently used (unwrapped) toys, books, games and stuffed animals during its fifth annual toy drive Nov. 1-15. Donations may be dropped off at the BCB office. For more information, call Diane Struemph at 573-832-3426 or email Alicia Edwards at [email protected].
The nonprofit will distribute toys to families at a to-be-determined date. How many toys each child receives will be determined by the number of toys BCB receives.