Merry Christmas Issaquah fund helps ordinary people through tough times
December 2, 2008
By Administrator
There are charities willing to help people in need, but just who are those people? Often, it’s the very people who are trying to help themselves.
Merry Christmas Issaquah Fund
• A woman got an infection in her hand and was not able to work for six weeks. The power company was about to shut off the electricity when she called for help. With small children at home, heat was a necessity.
• An unemployed man got a job offer, but needed help with bus tickets to get to the job, just until he got paid.• A young mother with a toddler had just leased a new apartment, but underestimated the moving costs, coming up a bit short on the second month’s rent.
• An elderly woman had just had her eighth surgery and was now behind with her power bill.
• A family of six finally had to ask for help. The husband had heart problems, and the wife lost her job when the company she worked for went bankrupt. All they asked for was a little help with the power bill.
These are just some of the people that turn to Issaquah Church & Community Services, the agency that disburses donations to Merry Christmas Issaquah, providing emergency help.
The help isn’t much, but to the people who need it, it’s everything.
Since the fund drive was started in 1980, more than a half-million dollars has been raised, and given away. As usual, those emergency aid funds collected last year are about gone, yet another 300-400 families will call the volunteers at Church & Community Services for help in 2009. Some callers get referred to other agencies, and some get direct financial support — never cash, just vouchers.
Many of the people who come to Church & Community Services are employed or retired and managing just fine, until the unexpected catches up to them. They are residents of the Issaquah School District, including a few who have resorted to living in a tent on the mountains around Issaquah.
Church & Community Services helps families with rent, utility bills, auto repairs, bus tickets, medical prescriptions, food coupons and a few miscellaneous requests.
Church & Community Services has already used most of the $49,595 donated from Issaquah residents and businesses last year, and will need at least that much again to offer assistance in 2009. Merry Christmas Issaquah is the only fund drive for the nonprofit organization. One hundred percent of donations goes to help those in need.
“With the high unemployment rate, there is no doubt that 2009 may see more requests for help than ever,” said Pat Stegner, president of Church & Community Services. “Every dollar donated is going to be important to helping an Issaquah family in crisis.”
Donations are tax-deductible. Send to Merry Christmas Issaquah, c/o The Issaquah Press, P.O. Box 1328, Issaquah, WA 98027.
Donors names, but not amounts, will be published unless anonymity is requested.
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