Giving to the Christmas Bureau brings joy throughout the year. Here’s how to participate

It seems that in the Spokane area, giving to the Christmas Bureau isn’t something that ever really ends.

The Spokesman-Review leads a fundraising push between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year, but there are always donations that either arrive too late or are given during the summer and fall.

The money raised is used to purchase food vouchers for families in need and a book and toy for each child in those families. For some families, the Christmas Bureau will provide the only presents under the tree, assuming there even is a tree.

This year, as in the last several years, the fundraising goal is $535,000. The effort is led by Catholic Charities and the Volunteers of America. The Spokesman-Review prints the name of each donor in stories that run daily between Thanksgiving and Christmas, though donors can request to remain anonymous.

There are many ways to donate. If you would like to make your donation in person, bring it by The Spokesman-Review office at 999 W. Riverside Avenue. Make sure you write “Christmas Fund” prominently on the envelope.

Donations can also be mailed to The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund, P.O. Box 516, Spokane, WA 99210. If you prefer to donate online, visit www.christmasbureauspokane.org and click on the “Donate Online” button.

Donations

Donations that arrived in January through March of this year total $12,278.88.

An anonymous Spokane donor gave $2,000. The Clarence Colb Memorial Fund sent $1,730.88.

L&M Truck Sales, of Spokane, donated $1,200. “As this year has been such a challenge to so many families, businesses and churches, we wanted to help some of those people in Spokane with our donation this year,” wrote Wayne Gibson. “Merry Christmas.”

The Colquhoun Family Fund of the Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund gave $1,000. The Dennis and Norma Jean Hanson Foundation of the Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund sent $1,000. Jack and Tana Tenold, of Spokane, donated $1,000. “Thank you for helping those less fortunate year after year,” they wrote. The Inland Northwest Business Travel Association gave $1,000.

Dena and Marc Kaplan, of San Diego, California, donated $500. “This is in honor of my dad, Don Kelly, who believed in the Christmas Bureau and worked hard to make sure the children of Spokane had as bright a Christmas as the one he and my mom gave us!” Dena Kaplan wrote.

Vanguard Charitable sent $500 on behalf of an anonymous donor. The Lyons family, of Spokane, sent $500.

The Alpha Nu Chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa gave $400. The group of women educators from Airway Heights, Cheney and Medical Lake raised the money through their Kids Count on Us campaign.

Robin and James Dodds, of Cheney, donated $250 in honor of their parents, Richard and Darlene Fontaine and Albert and Janet Dodds. “Thank you to everyone helping add love and warmth to our area families this season!” they wrote. Kristine and Michael Anderson, of Nine Mile Falls, gave $250.

Helen Duchow, of Spokane, sent $200.

The Sacred Heart Medical Center Doctor Building Day Surgery staff donated $145, writing “Thank you for all you do for our community! God bless.”

Cindi and Raland John, of Spokane, gave $100. “We are making our contribution early this year,” they wrote. “Thank you for all that you do so that others may have a Merry Christmas.” Larry and Maggie Santschi, of Sun City West, Arizona, donated $100. “With this check we honor mother Ella Pinkney, who taught Corliss, Ty and Heidi to respect their parents and seek to bring goodness to this world,” they wrote. Judy Siemer, of Spokane, sent $100.

Anne Franke, of Spokane, donated $83.

Carl Butler, of Spokane, sent two donations of $50 each. Bill and Sandra Dodge, of Spokane, gave $50, writing “Thank you for finding a way to keep Christmas bright for Spokane families this year.”

Stephanie Zoldak, of Spokane, sent $25. Marty Fernandez gave $25, writing “Thank you so much for all you did in this crazy 2020! Looking forward to seeing you next year back at the fairgrounds.”

Judith Horton, of Coeur d’Alene, sent four donations of $5 each.