By Will Stokebrand
Volunteer Coordinator in Lincoln, Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
It’s hard to believe, but Christmas is just around the corner, which means the staff at Catholic Social Services is starting to prepare the annual Holiday Giving Program in Lincoln. Having worked at CSS for a few years, it always amazes me how generous our donors are and how eager they are to help out in any way they can. Speaking on behalf of all of our staff, I want to thank everyone who has donated and helped out with this program each year.
With the recent changes to the SNAP program, affecting a majority of our clients, we are working to expand our food resources for clients, including increasing the hours for our Food Market and providing gift cards to grocery stores. Our office will also provide additional funds to help clients with rent and utility bill assistance, to help offset the new costs.
For our Christmas programming this year, we will not be taking requests from clients for any toys. Instead, our office will receive physical donations, including food donations, bibles, rosaries, hygiene supplies, backpacks, sleeping bags, household items, and cleaning supplies. Also, we will receive monetary donations of cash, checks, or gift cards, which go toward paying client rent and utility bills. These monetary donations assist families in paying for rent, utilities, and other needs, and the gift cards provide a helping hand for other purchases which families may need throughout the year.
This change comes with two purposes; the first placing an emphasis on our mission which is to perform the works of mercy in response to the call of God– feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned, and burying the dead. The second is that by focusing on gifting clients with these essential items and services, families can have funds freed up to buy gifts and toys for their children that they know the children will want. What parents don’t get joy from being able to buy gifts for their children?
What won’t change is how donors will be able to help buy items for clients. During Advent, Lincoln-area parishes will have a “giving tree” set-up where donations, cash/checks, and gift cards can be dropped off at Blessed Sacrament, the Cathedral of the Risen Christ, North American Martyrs, St. John the Apostle, St. Joseph, St. Michael, St. Peter and St. Teresa in Lincoln, and St. Mary in Denton. The trees will have ornaments containing QR codes that will direct donors to our website to find a list of requested items from each of our programs.
If you are making an online financial gift, visit the website. For any physical donations you purchase, there will be donation bins with our CSS logo at the churches listed. The purchased items can be dropped off there, or at our CSS main office, 2241 O St., Lincoln.
Thank you again for your continued support and helping provide “Hope in the Good Life” this Christmas season through your generous donations and time. If you have any questions about the program this year or want to assist in some way, feel free to contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To learn more about our holiday programming and ways you can get involved at our Auburn, Hastings, and Imperial locations, please visit our website at csshope.org.
