Samaritan Center fills holiday wishes

Jefferson City area retail stores are filled with holiday shoppers and Santa's elves are in full swing preparing the much anticipated gifts youngsters are requesting. For local families that struggle throughout the year, the Samaritan Center has a special place for them to go - Santa's Workshop.

Donna Robinson went to Santa's Workshop to find gifts for her five grandchildren. “If it wasn't for this program they wouldn't have anything,” she said. “I am very grateful to the Samaritan Center, not just for this program but all year long.”

Santa's Workshop is in its fourth year at the center. The program offers qualified families two brand new toys for children 13 years old and younger.

“We have new, unopened toys valued at $10 for children 13 and under, whose families have not been adopted by the Samaritan Center,” said Ben DeFeo, community outreach specialist. “This fills the gap for those families that don't get adopted so the children will still get presents.”

The program offers not just presents, but new presents. “With all of our programs for children we try to make sure they get something new,” DeFeo said. “It is good for their self-esteem to know that they have something all their own.”

The program is self-sustaining with no budget, so its success depends on donations.

For several years one local donor has given the center about $3,000 to purchase toys for the program. “Wal-Mart is a big help to us, they box up the toys and are also donating $1,000 worth of toys to us on Friday,” DeFeo said.

Other donations come from local toy drives and individual donors.

DeFeo said anyone can donate items to the program. He asked that they be unwrapped, dropped off at the back door by the warehouse and within the $10 range. “It makes community members feel good to contribute to children - especially toys at Christmas.”

Several area schools are also taking part in helping fill Santa's Workshop. DeFeo said he feels that children who contribute learn early about giving back to the community. “Toy and food drives help explain to the children that not everyone is fortunate and it helps build social awareness,” he said. “If you can teach stewardship and volunteering at a young age it continues throughout their lives.”

To qualify for Santa's Workshop families do not have to be Cole County residents. They had to have been signed up for programs at the center since Oct. 1, they cannot have already been adopted by the Samaritan Center and they must meet the federal poverty guidelines.

In 2005 the center provided 1,810 children from 781 families along with children from local organizations with toys.

Santa's Workshop is open Monday-Wednesday through Dec. 12 from 1:30-3:30 p.m., and also from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Robinson said. “If it wasn't for people donating the toys then there would be a lot of disappointed children on Christmas morning.”

Community outreach specialist Ben DeFeo, right, and dental clinic staff member Marijane Juricic sort toys Tuesday afternoon during the Santa's Workshop at the Samaritan Center. (Kelley McCall/News Tribune photo)