Need holiday help? Here are 8 options for Fox Valley families needing Christmas gifts

With many businesses across the region rallying behind toy drives and giving being encouraged this season, it’s often not hard to find ways to lend a hand.

But if you're on the other side of things, finding where to go for help can be challenging. 

Some programs that provide holiday gifts to those in need may require a referral from health and human services, schools or other entities, but families can request referrals. Other programs allow area families to reach out directly to request gift assistance. The deadline for each program varies, and each program may have requirements to participate, so be sure to check. 

The Salvation Army Fox Cities' Toy Shop

While The Salvation Army Fox Cities has already met its limit for its Adopt-A-Family program, families who are not receiving assistance from other holiday assistance programs may request to participate in its Toy Shop Program before Dec. 4. 

Under the Toy Shop Program, participants are given an appointment to “shop” among new gifts donated from the Marine Corps Reserve program Toys for Tots for any child age 17 and younger residing in their household. 

Toys are donated via collection boxes scattered throughout the community, then are collected by The Salvation Army and put into the Toy Shop. 

The number of toys each child receives depends on the number of children registered and the number of toys donated. Children will also receive stocking stuffers. In addition to living in The Salvation Army Fox Cities’ service area, families also must have an income within 200% of the federal poverty level, which is based on family size, according to Patrick Leigl, social services director for The Salvation Army Fox Cities.

The Salvation Army Fox Cities asks that those who apply not be receiving other holiday assistance, whether from The Salvation Army or other programs.

Each family will also receive a grocery gift card to purchase a holiday meal. 

The Salvation Army Fox Cities serves Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Little Chute, Kimberly, Kaukauna, Combined Locks, Greenville, Grand Chute, Darboy, and the Freedom ZIP codes 54130 and 54913, said Kristal Knudtson, director of development and marketing communications for The Salvation Army Fox Cities.

Families can apply to receive this assistance at bit.ly/salvationarmyfoxtoyshop. 

The Salvation Army Outagamie County Service Extension's Christmas assistance

The Salvation Army Outagamie County Service Extension in Black Creek combines its Adopt-A-Family and Toys for Tots program to ensure all families in its service area have presents under the tree, said the extension’s director, Cindy Meulemans.

Like they would for the Adopt-A-Family program, those who want to receive assistance fill out a form with the ages of their children, the children’s clothing sizes and relation to them, and gift interests. They can request up to five specific gifts per child, each gift not exceeding $30 each. 

Each participating family will either be “adopted” by another local family, who will shop for the gifts they ask for, or will receive gifts that the extension received through Toys for Tots or donations throughout the year.

Parents get to go through the package they receive before taking it home, so if the clothes won’t fit or they receive a game their child already has, they can exchange it for another item. 

The extension serves families who reside in Dale, Hortonville, the Freedom ZIP codes not served by The Salvation Army Fox Cities, Schiocton, Black Creek, Bear Creek, Isaar, Medina, New London, Nichols, Oneida, Seymour and Stephensville. 

If you live in these areas and want to receive Christmas assistance from the extension, visit its office at 227 E. State Highway 54 in Black Creek. Its hours are 9 to 11:15 a.m. and 3:30 to 5:15 p.m. Mondays and 9 to 11:15 a.m. Tuesdays. You will need your ID, proof of income and address and Social Security number. Sign-up ends Dec. 18. 

B.A.B.E.S. Inc.'s annual toy drive

B.A.B.E.S. Child Abuse Prevention Program in Appleton is hosting Holiday Workshops for local caretakers to be able to provide the children in their lives with holiday gifts. 

On Dec. 7 and 8, members of the community who preregister can come to B.A.B.E.S.’s location on East Wisconsin Avenue and choose from a selection of new toys donated by the community. They can select about three toys per child ages birth to 13 years. No proof of income or residency is needed.

The two previous days are reserved for current B.A.B.E.S. participants.

The general public can preregister online at bit.ly/BABESsignup. More information can be found at B.A.B.E.S.’s Facebook event page, called Holiday General Giveaway 2023. 

If you have questions, call 920-733-6886 between 11:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. 

Lincoln's Foster Closet's Giving Hearts Christmas Program

Lincoln’s Foster Closet is a nonprofit in Kaukauna that serves foster children and families in Outagamie, Calumet and Waupaca counties. Each year, it hosts its Giving Hearts Christmas program. 

Area churches, businesses, clubs, organizations and families nationwide donate new gifts and other items, like clothes and basic needs supplies, to the program. From there, Lincoln’s Foster Closet sets up a time for local families to “shop.” Usually, each child receives between three and five gifts. 

Families with foster children wanting assistance through the Giving Hearts Christmas Program should email lincolnsfostercloset@gmail.com with the foster child’s age, county and gender by Dec. 1. In the case of last-minute placements, have your caseworker email Lincoln’s Foster Closet. 

The Boys and Girls Brigade's Christmas Giving Program

The Boys and Girls Brigade in Neenah relies on referrals from health and human service departments, schools, churches and other similar sources to ensure needy families in Neenah and Menasha receive gifts through its Christmas Giving program. 

Families who want to receive gifts through the program should reach out to a school counselor, Winnebago County case worker or their church and ask to be referred to the program. Families are eligible if they live in Menasha or Neenah and their school-aged children attend school.

From there, accepted families are asked to fill out a wishlist for their children ages birth to 18. The families are matched with a sponsor, who sets out to fulfill what they can on the wishlist.

The Brigade asks that sponsors purchase a complete outfit and a few wishlist items for each child, but there are no official requirements for how many gifts each child must receive. 

Outagamie County's Adopt-A-Family program

Similar to the Brigade’s program, Outagamie County's Adopt-A-Family program operates on a referral basis. For a family to receive assistance through the program, they must be receiving services through one of the human services departments in the county. Barb Mincheff, the county health and human services volunteer coordinator, said families may also request that their HHS worker make a referral.

From there, the worker will ensure the family is not receiving assistance elsewhere. The family is matched with a donor, who then sets out to fulfill their holiday wishes. The donor is not required to spend a set dollar amount. 

While the county’s website says there are not any established deadlines, the earlier a family contacts their HHS worker, the better. 

USPS's Operation Santa

The U.S. Postal Service’s Operation Santa is in full swing. Under this program, children from across the country mail letters to Santa with their Christmas wishes. The letters are then posted to Operation Santa’s website, with all identifying details removed. Then, others view the letters and “adopt” one or more that speak to them, committing to sending one or more presents to the letter writer. 

They take the gifts to any post office location that accepts Operation Santa packages. They present a QR code to ship the gift, as they do not receive the letter sender’s address. 

To mail a letter to Santa, and possibly receive a gift or gifts in response, address your letter to Santa, 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888, and drop it in the mailbox.

Find detailed instructions and letter templates at Operation Santa’s website. 

Not every letter will be “adopted,” the website warns, but just writing to Santa alone is an experience children can find magical. All letters must be postmarked by Dec. 11.

211 can provide other options

Simply calling United Way 211 is often considered a great place to start for families and individuals inquiring about a variety of needs, including holiday assistance. 

Lisa Smith, director of United Way Fox Cities 211, said people can call the helpline for information on obtaining holiday meals and possibly finding holiday gift help that is not already in this article.

Staff can also help callers find assistance for paying utilities and other hefty bills, which in turn could allow families to budget more for the holidays. 

211 operates 24/7 every day of the year.

Madison Lammert is a Report for America corps member who covers child care and early education in Wisconsin at The Post-Crescent. Contact her at mlammert@gannett.com or 920-993-7108. Follow on Twitter @MadisonLammert0.

You can directly support her work with a tax-deductible donation online at http://bit.ly/Appleton_RFA or by check made out to The GroundTruth Project with subject line Report for America Post Crescent Campaign. Address: The GroundTruth Project, Lockbox Services, 9450 SW Gemini Drive, PMB 46837, Beaverton, Oregon 97008-7105.