Giving Tree seeking donations

By Reader Staff

Donations are needed for the annual Giving Tree program, which provides winter clothes to members of the community with special needs, as well as low-income children, adults and seniors.

Organized by Tammy Shivel with support from Creations, the program has served more than 150 clients each year for the past 15 years, providing about $20,000 worth of donated coats, boots, hats, mittens, pajamas, socks and warm blankets every season.

The program starts in November, with special needs and low-income individuals filling out Giving Tree tags that include their age, gender and needed winter items. Next, small Christmas trees with those tags — called Giving Trees — are set up at local supermarkets and the Cedar Street Bridge. 

During December, members of the community pick up tags, buy the needed winter items and then wrap the present, attach the tag and place it back under the Giving Tree. 

Program organizers collect the presents, match the tags to the clients on the list and deliver the holiday gifts to their recipients. 

One example of the impact of the program shared by organizers includes a local young mother with a 1-year-old and another child on the way, living in an RV because the father had been laid off for the winter. From the Giving Tree, the family received a playpen, baby bassinet, car seat, diapers and warm baby clothes.

Other Giving Tree stories include a 17-year-old who needed winter boots and was nominated by the Teen Center because he kept arriving with wet sneakers during the winter cold; a senior who didn’t have family in the area and lived in a nursing home, who received a warm blanket and holiday card; an 8-year-old boy who needed snow pants and a warm blanket; and a special-needs adult receiving warm pajamas and socks.

Those stories “and hundreds of other tags filled each year through the Giving Tree show the generous heart and soul of our Bonner County community,” organizers stated.

Beyond items, the all-volunteer run Giving Tree program also has financial overhead to cover. Creations assists each year to raise $1,000 to cover supplies, such as organizing and printing tags, signs for the Giving Trees and to purchase items for the few unfilled tags, so that all clients who sign up receive their needed winter item. Creations also manages the donation funds each year.

Donations are needed now to help print signs and tags to get the program going for the upcoming season, and can be mailed to the Giving Tree at Creations, 334 N. First Ave., Suite 213, Sandpoint, ID 83864. 

To refer community members in need of warm clothes to the program, contact Shivel at 208-627-6446 to sign up.

For other information, contact Shery Meekings at Creations: 208-304-7384 (text is best).