Eric Page, owner of Bobby Lawrence Karate Studio, and Students with their Giving Tree Donations
Utah Foster Care Foundation offices are absolutely bustling with the hum of the holidays! Each day this season — somewhere in Utah — folks are going above and beyond to provide presents for children and teens in foster care.
UFCF Giving Trees have been up at businesses and stores since November, where children small and not-so-small have placed their wishes on glistening ornaments. Individuals and organizations interested in playing “Santa” have taken one or several ornaments from trees in their area.
And now they are dropping off the gifts they have purchased at our Murray and Ogden locations!
East Millcreek 2nd (LDS) Ward Youth
Earlier in the week, a youth group from East Millcreek 2nd (LDS) Ward brought in gifts as part of its holiday project.
Utah Dept of Environmental Quality employees deliver their Giving Tree gifts to the UFCF Murray offices.
Staffers at the Utah Department of Environmental Quality gleefully used a hand truck to bring in their presents.
Way up north, in Logan, holiday shoppers encounter Giving Trees and other donation opportunities at Gia’s Italian Restaurant; The Beehive Grill; The Center Street Grill; The Sportsman; Edwards Furniture; The Stork Landing, and The Anniversary Inn.
Today, employees from Intermountain Health Care will be sorting through donations and wrapping presents. In Woods Cross, an Eagle Scout who was adopted from foster care, picked up a boat load of gifts from Electrical Consultants Inc, each wrapped and decked out with a bonus toothbrush and toothpaste.
UFCF staffers are excitedly matching up children with gift givers and combing the stores to fill in the gaps with much-appreciated cash donations.
“I continue to be amazed at how much Christmas spirit people have,” says our own dynamo, Tina Porter, who can only be described as a whirling dervish this time of year.
Tina handles all Giving Tree donations for the Salt Lake Valley region.
“Just when I think I have gotten all the calls from people wanting to help, a group walks in with a check or a stack of hand-made blankets.”
One of our most ardent supporters, Dave Webster at Western States Lodging, is once again collecting donations for children in foster care at his Utah hotels and senior citizens centers.
Jason and Trudy from ALS pose with Nikki (Left) from UFCF in front of Murray office tree.
Even families who no longer foster children are showing their gratitude. Former foster dad Jason Kim and his colleague Trudy Wilson presented a donation check from their employer, ALS Laboratory Group.
Want to Help?
These last few weeks before Christmas are a crucial time for holiday giving — in your home and ours. Around here, foster parents who just learned of the program are scrambling to get a little help with their Santa lists — and children removed from homes over the next few weeks are especially needful of a little holiday mirth.
Please consider donating cash that can be used to meet these urgent and last-minute needs.
