In the midst of finalizing celebrations or prepping traditional Thanksgiving feasts, many Tucsonans are also strategizing for the biggest shopping weekend of the year.
Local nonprofits offer options to keep the “giving” going while making the most of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday.
Helping homeless youths
Youth On Their Own makes it easy and convenient to gift homeless and near-homeless middle school and high school students: All it takes is a $20 gift card or a blanket.
For years, the organization has sponsored a holiday drive for gift cards.
It expanded the effort this year with the “Spread the Warmth” appeal in hopes of providing more than 1,100 students with blankets as well.
Donations of new adult-sized blankets or throws of all types are needed; handmade quilts and blankets are also welcome.
At least 800 blankets and more than 1,100 gift cards in denominations of $20 are needed by Friday, Dec. 9, in order to distribute the gifts before the holidays.
“We know the holidays can be a very lonely time for kids in our program. We asked students what they would want if they could have something else in addition to a gift card and the most common response was a blanket, which was so touching,” said Kristyn Conner, YOTO director of development.
For these students, the majority of whom live in temporary housing with friends or relatives while trying to graduate, a blanket is more than a gift, according to Nicola Hartmann, YOTO executive director.
“A gift card is practical and wonderful and will change the holiday for these kids, but to give each of them a blanket or a cozy throw is just that little bit of love ... one of the kids was so excited by the prospect of getting a blanket just so that he would have a real gift at Christmas. It puts it all in perspective,” Hartmann said.
YOTO is a blessing not only during the holidays but year-round, according to Armando Alvarez, a 17-year-old senior at Sunnyside High School.
He was directed to the organization about six months ago by a school counselor after he was kicked out of his parents’ home.
“That’s when miracles started to happen,” said Alvarez, who now lives in a trailer and credits YOTO with providing assistance with food, clothing and other basic necessities, including a bicycle for transportation to school and work.
He also receives a $140 monthly stipend from YOTO based on school attendance and grades; he is earning A’s and B’s and plans to attend Pima Community College and eventually UA.
Alvarez said that he doesn’t like to think about where he would be without YOTO and he highly recommends the organization for other struggling homeless students.
“I might have lost a little bit of family, but I gained new people in my life as part of this program. They will motivate you and help you out, so keep your head up. Everything gets better and someday when I am older I want to speak out for this program and possibly work for them and help other kids out,” Alvarez said.
Hartmann emphasized that YOTO, which is privately funded and receives no government assistance, is grateful to the community-wide support to aid a portion of the estimated 5,000-plus homeless students in Pima County.
“We can only do this with the community. With the community, we can really make a difference to these students,” she said.
Military children’s holiday party
If making a difference for military families is high on your holiday priority list, Tucson Troop Support offers an ideal opportunity with the 6th Annual Holiday Party for Children of Local Military Families on Sunday, Dec. 18.
The nonprofit is seeking donations of 600 new, unwrapped toys to provide holiday gifts for youth from birth through age 18.
Festivities at the holiday party also include a visit from Santa and various superheroes; arts and crafts and karaoke Christmas music with the Tucson Sisters.
Tucson Troop Support Executive Vice President Clarissa Geborkoff said that the event serves as a vital celebration for at least 125 military families, many of whom are stationed far away from family and can’t afford to travel during the holidays.
“The purpose of the holiday party and other events throughout the year for military families and children is to enhance the morale of the families left behind when a parent or parents are deployed,” Geborkoff said. “The holidays can be really sad when you are on your own with no family nearby and events like the holiday party allow these families to come together and meet one another. We do everything we can to cheer them up and put big smiles on their faces.”
