Shannon Cortes stopped her shopping cart at a table labeled “Teen Large Gifts.” Taking her time, the Everett mom examined a pair of boots. On opening day at Christmas House, she was picking out that special something and more for her two children.
There’s little money in her budget for presents, but Cortes’ 13-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter will have gifts this Christmas. Thursday was the first “shopping” day in a gym at the Everett Boys &Girls Club, which houses the charity each holiday season.
Now marking its 35th year, the nonprofit Christmas House provides gifts for Snohomish County families in need. There are free gifts for infants through 18-year-olds — stocking stuffers, hats or gloves, and large items including skateboards and bikes.
“I got a game system for my kids to share. I’m really appreciative of that,” Cortes said. She said that in June she lost a restaurant job she’d had for eight years. One of her children had a medical issue that had her taking more time off than her employer allowed, she said.
Dozens of parents, who brought income-qualifying documentation, made their way through the makeshift shopping center on its first day. Staffed by a bustling crew of Christmas House volunteers, the gym is divided into the shop and a large storage area, where boxes of toys and rows of refurbished bicycles are kept for restocking.
Everett’s Sylvia May, a Christmas House volunteer for 16 years, said about 200 families are helped each day. Christmas House will be open through Dec. 19.
Each parent, steering a shopping cart, is accompanied by a volunteer who escorts the shopper to tables where gifts are chosen. Along with tables for age-appropriate gifts is one where shoppers may choose a family item, such as wrapping paper, a blanket or decorations.
Mukilteo’s Alexis Travers, who has a 4-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter, was thrilled to get a giant stuffed polar bear. It nearly filled her cart. “I can buy a few things for Christmas, but this really helps,” she said.
Helping Travers shop was Wyatt Stevens, an 18-year-old Lakewood High School student who was volunteering with his mother, Beth Stevens. At a book table, the teen asked Travers, “Have you read this book? It’s a good one.” Taking his advice, the Mukilteo mom put a “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book in her cart.
“It’s heartwarming,” Wyatt said later. “I was always fortunate to get things for Christmas.”
To qualify for Christmas House, household income must be at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level. Designated by the Department of Health and Human Services, the poverty level for a family of three is $20,090 per year or less; for Christmas House, a three-person household can earn no more than $30,135 annually, or $2,511 per month.
Greg Milne, retired from the Snohomish County PUD, is the new president of Christmas House after volunteering for several years.
“Christmas House is pretty much a year-round thing,” said Milne, explaining that toy buying for next year will mostly happen just after this Christmas to take advantage of sales. This season, Christmas House is expected to provide 55,000 gifts to about 9,000 children.
Approximately 85 percent of the charity’s funding comes from grants, Milne said. Donations of cash and toys help with the rest. Donations of new toys still are being accepted for this year.
It’s a big operation, and quite a change from Christmas House’s modest start in 1981. That’s when Roy Fraser created Christmas House in his garage. Stocked mostly with refurbished used toys and handmade gifts, it served about 100 children that first year. Fraser, who died not long after founding the charity, left a legacy that has brought cheer to thousands of families.
Volunteers also are filled with holiday spirit. Randi Norwick and Heather Duffy, nursing students at Everett Community College, were happy to spend precious free time bagging presents for shoppers Thursday.
Lynee MacMaster, a Marysville mother of three boys and a girl, was volunteering after being helped by Christmas House a year ago. “I was overwhelmed last year,” she said. “This year I remembered my promise to myself. I came Monday and helped set up for opening day.”
From her years of volunteering, May recalled seeing the joy of parents able to give wished-for gifts. “Sometimes it’s just a simple thing. One mother said her little girl just wanted a baseball mitt,” she said.
“To me, this is Christmas,” May said.
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com. Christmas House
Christmas House
Christmas House, a nonprofit that provides qualifying low-income Snohomish County families with free Christmas gifts for their children, is located in the Boys &Girls Club gym, 2316 12th St., in north Everett. The “store” is open through Dec. 19; closed Sundays and Mondays. Learn how to donate, volunteer or qualify for gifts by calling 425-338-2273 or go to www.christmas-house.org
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