While meeting the needs of those in our community is always a priority for the believer, the Christmas season often provides more opportunities and creates more awareness of such opportunities. 

I have pasted an article below that was recently posted in the Auburn Journal on various non-profit agencies that are helping the needy.  Consider choosing one of these and getting involved yourself or as a family.  This might also be a good opportunity to encourage your Grace Group to serve in this way. 

While we wouldn’t support every method of every organization many of these do provide practical ways for us to help the needy and to interact with our community.  The Lord may even give us opportunities to share the gospel with those we are serving alongside of. 

As an example, the youth are planning on helping out with the Auburn Area Christmas Basket Program and will be helping to assemble and distribut food and gift baskets to the needy on Saturday the 16th from 9-12 at the armory building at the Auburn Fairgrounds. 

By the way- I can’t bring myself to strongly recommend numbers 8 and 11-these two just don’t seem to fit for some reason. 

Include a nonprofit on your Christmas list

There may be someone missing from your Christmas list — a local nonprofit.

Agencies working to help the poor and the homeless, the battered, the children and the sick experience an onslaught of people in need of their help during the holiday season.

While we couldn’t list all the worthy organizations that operate in Auburn, we can highlight a few of them — 12 to be exact — that help make the holidays brighter for a broad cross-section of those in need.

These nonprofits have been in our community for years and keep their donations in our area to help local people.

Think of one gift you’d like to give your community this year — a cleaner river, a meal for the homeless, a home for an animal, comfort for a child — and put at least one of them on your Christmas list this year.

1. Salvation Army — The Salvation Army is dedicated to caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, loving the unlovable and befriending the friendless. Each year the Salvation Army in Auburn sponsors the Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner and for Christmas, the organization provides toys and food for 200 working poor families. Contact Ken Tokutomi at (530) 888-3990.

2. Auburn Area Christmas Basket Program — To provide disadvantaged families in the greater-Auburn area with food and gifts for a Merry Christmas. This year the Christmas Basket program will provide more than 500 families with food for 10 days and toys for children. Contact Vic Macy at (530) 887-5533.

3. PEACE for Families — PEACE for Families provides comprehensive services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault throughout Placer County. PEACE has an adopt-a-family program for all of its clients during the holidays, which provides food, household items and gifts for 100 families. Throughout the year, PEACE runs a 24-hour-a-day, 365-days-a-year confidential shelter for battered women and children. Contact Loralee Rae at (530) 885-0443.

4. Auburn Interfaith Food Closet — The Interfaith Food Closet provides food for needy families in the Auburn area. The closet supplies three-days’ worth of meals for every person in a family. This is a year-round program, operating from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday and the last Saturday of each month. For more information: (530) 885-1921 or www.auburnfoodcloset.com.

5. Child Abuse Prevention Council — The council is a private not-for-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and healing of child abuse in all its forms. Throughout the year the organization runs a battered women’s shelter open 24 hours a day all year round. The Auburn Family Resource Center, a project of the Child Abuse Prevention Council,  has opportunities to adopt a family for Christmas. For more information: (530) 887-3536.

6. Child Advocates of Placer County — Child Advocates of Placer County (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) advocates in court to find safe, permanent living alternatives for the children of Placer County in Northern California. These children have been removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, or violence. Volunteers are welcomed. Help is also needed to sponsor events. Call (530) 887-1006.

7. Boys & Girls Club of Auburn — The club’s mission is to inspire and enable all young people, especially those from disadvantaged circumstances, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. The club needs continued financial support from the community to cover operating costs and build a new facility. Volunteers are always needed. Call Janis Wikoff at (530) 889-2273.

8. Placer SPCA — Provides shelter for stray and surrendered animals, provides humane education and affordable spaying, neutering and vaccination clinics at the SPCA’s Roseville shelter. The Placer SPCA has a “wish list” at their Web site, www.placerspca.org with current needs. For more information: (916) 782-7722.

9. Seniors First — Seniors First provides Placer County seniors with information and assistance in an effort

to empower seniors to make informed decisions. Contact Candace Roeder at (530) 889-9500

10. Sutter Auburn Faith VNA & Hospice — For 100 years, the Sutter VNA and Hospice has provided in-home support to those faced with terminal illness. The nonprofit operates the Hospice Thrift Store at 13342 Lincoln Way in Auburn, locally. For more information: (530) 886-6650.

11. Protect American River Canyons — Protect American River Canyons (PARC) is an Auburn-based grassroots educational group dedicated to the preservation of the wilderness, recreational, cultural and historical values of the American River and its canyons. PARC sponsors the Confluence Festival, outings and river cleanups. Contact Eric Peach at (530) 885-8878.

12. The Gathering Inn — The Gathering Inn is a nomadic homeless shelter inside 40 participating local churches. Through intake sites in Auburn and Roseville, homeless guests are able to shower, get clean clothes, case management and limited medical care before being transported to one of many south Placer County church hosts. For more information: wwwthegatheringinn.com or (916) 791-9355.

This entry was posted by Tim Pickard on Tuesday, December 12th, 2006 at 10:31 am and is filed under Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.