Tucson nonprofits in need of holiday donations

LONI NANNINI

Special to the Arizona Daily Star

'Tis the season of thanks, but volunteers with local nonprofits are already looking forward to the season of giving.

'Volunteering with Gifts of Love at Interfaith Community Services (ICS) is our gift to ourselves for Christmas. It really fulfills us and is the highlight of our Christmas,' said Darla Cavanaugh, a long-time volunteer with ICS (https://www.icstucson.org/).

For the past four years, she and her husband, John, have delivered holiday gifts and food boxes to seniors and disabled adults through the program that will serve more than 500 children, teens, adults and seniors.

Gifts of Love is a need-based annual drive for families and those who live below the poverty line. Recipients are facing unemployment, hunger, homelessness, isolation, and other significant challenges, according to Jennifer Humphries, communications manager for ICS.

'These are people who have been ICS clients this year,' said Humphries. 'They are recipients of emergency financial assistance, senior services or other ICS programs. They have been vetted carefully by case workers. Not only is this the only gift that many of them will receive this holiday season, but for many of the seniors, this may be their only holiday visit.'

She emphasized that most of the gifts requested by participants are simple items such as blankets, slippers, sweatshirts and socks. Many parents request basic needs — coats, socks, shoes, and underwear — for their children.

'People want small things, like gloves or dishtowels. They aren't asking for the world,' said John, who has enjoyed 'the goodness you feel when you make the deliveries.'

Last year, the Cavanaughs delivered to a bookkeeper who had volunteered with ICS for many years until her sight began to fail. She lived alone and eventually began receiving ICS services herself. John said that when she received the unexpected holiday gift of dishtowels, she began to cry.

'She had us all in tears. We told her that it was time for us to help her after she had helped ICS for so many years. It is really a good way to get back to the spirit of Christmas, which is being nice to one another,' said John, who has also volunteered at the ICS Food Bank. He credits the nonprofit for its amazing organization as it works to provide people with pathways to self-sufficiency.

'ICS makes it easy to volunteer,' said John. 'They put volunteers to work quickly, efficiently and safely. When someone pulls up to the food bank and you see their face, you know they are suffering. They get the food and it is a sigh of relief ... They may not have two cents to their name but if you give people food, it takes the edge off when they feel hopeless.'

Barbara Darr finds volunteerism with ICS equally fulfilling. She frequently delivers food boxes to homebound seniors in Marana and expanded to Gifts of Love delivery last year.

'ICS is a terrific organization that provides transportation, food and meals, and other services for seniors so they can stay in their homes,' Darr said.

The 78-year-old encourages others to consider donating time, talent or treasure to the nonprofit.

'Tucson is a very giving community. You hear about all of the nasty things happening in the world but not enough about programs like Gifts of Love and all of the people who give back,' said Darr.

If supporting homeless and near-homeless teens appeals to you, consider making an in-kind or monetary donation to the Youth On Their Own Spread the Warmth Holiday Campaign. The effort seeks to collect food, school supplies and hygiene products for 1,600 local youth, and financial donations will be matched dollar- for-dollar up to $50,000. All funds raised will go toward stipends for students who want to graduate from high school.

'The more we fundraise, the more we can give out in stipends. There is a correlation between youth being able to earn a stipend for attending school and youth graduating,' said Bethany Neumann, director of development & communications for YOTO.

Last year YOTO paid out more than $2 million in student stipends, and Neumann said the graduation rate for YOTO seniors was 93% — its highest rate since its inception in 1986.

Neumann emphasized that the stipends —and donations of supplies to the Mini Mall — offset the cost of basic needs and housing for the students.

'Lots of these youth need to pay rent and the cost of housing is considerable,' Neumann said. 'Even those staying with friends or family or couch surfing may contribute to housing and those costs can be quite high. That is why the stipend exists: To help youth contribute to the economy of the house they are in so maybe they can stay in that space longer and graduate.'

Contact freelance writer Loni Nannini at ninch2@comcast .net