Sub-for-Sata gains support from students
The shopping season started earlier for some Cache Valley residents this year.
Many people are buying Christmas gifts for kids, senior citizens and families WHO don’t have money, to help them celebrate the holiday by taking part in a project developed by the non-profit organization Sub- For-Santa.
Carol Clark, the director of the Logan office, said there are many events planned for the end of this year. Nov. 29 is the official day for the beginning of donations. Banners will be hung in the Taggart Student Center, the Utah State University Parking Terrace and the bus stops, Clark said.
During the first two weeks of December, LTD buses and Aggie Shuttles will raise money for the project. There will be cans on the buses where people can put money donations. Boxes for clothing and toy donations will also be available on the buses.
Clark said only new items will be accepted. Associated Students of USU will participate in a radio broadcast on the TSC Patio from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. on Dec. 1 to raise awareness about the project for students and listeners.
Sub-For-Santa needs people to adopt kids or families, Clark said. Donations can be made in cash or gifts. Gifts for children are usually requested by their parents and must be within a value of $45 to $75.
“We have a lot of people adopting kids. What we really need is people adopting families,” Clark said.
She also said gifts should be unwrapped. The Sub-For-Santa also receives donations without a specific recipient. According to Web site, sub4santa.org, the most needed gifts are books, coats, backpacks, blankets, diapers and shoes.
On campus, several student organizations are participating in adopting a family.
The Pride! Alliance, is one of the groups participating. Cy Martz, president of the organization, said members will help this year as they have in past.
“This year, we are planning on collecting money from all the members and then we are going to go shopping for the gifts,” he said.
The Sigma Nu fraternity is also involved with the project. Taylor Howard, a member of the fraternity, said fraternity members will place bags at homes around Logan for donation and then pick them up. He said it is still too early to know when that is going to be done. Howard said the fraternity will probably have a meeting on the topic next week to decide the last details.
Non-profit organizations outside the university are assisting Sub-For-Santa as well. CAPSA (Community Abuse Prevention Services Agency) is helping recruit families and kids to receive the donations.
Christine Hudson, CAPSA staff member, said the agency is happy to be involved with “this great project.” She said families that seek assistance are helped with the procedures to apply to Sub-For-Santa.
Applications for families that need help have been available since Nov. 1 and should be turned in by Dec. 3 and can be found at the Cache Community Food Pantry, Cache Valley Community Health Clinic, Family Resource Center or downloaded on the Sub-For-Santa Web site.
Sub-For-Santa encourages self-sufficiency and doesn’t help families for more than five years, according to the site. Individuals and student organizations wanting to adopt a family or a child can call 752-6317. Donations can be taken to 75 S. 400 West.
-acantunes@cc.usu.edu