Published 12/06/07

Christmas House provides holiday cheer to families in need

by Beckye Randall

When the doors to Christmas House open on Friday, December 7, many families in Snohomish County will have a reason to believe in Santa Claus once again.

Christmas House is a non-profit organization that works year-round to provide holiday assistance to low-income Snohomish County families with children aged 18 or younger. Staffed and managed by volunteers, 99.6 percent of all donations to the group are channeled directly into gifts, toys and household items for families who need it most.

Christmas House is located at 2316-12th Street in north Everett. The gym space is donated for the holiday effort in an ongoing partnership with the Everett Boys and Girls Club.

“We serve families from all over Snohomish County,” said Rick Kvangnes, president of Christmas House. “Last year 259 families from Marysville and 98 from Arlington came through our doors. With an average of three children per family, that’s well over 1,000 kids.”

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Christmas House operates from December 7 through December 22, Monday through Saturday. Weekdays the organization serves 170 customers; on Saturdays the number doubles to 340. That adds up to almost 3,000 families.

To qualify for entrance to Christmas House, the shopper must provide verification of household income and proof of custody for children. Following registration, the family member is escorted through a maze of tables and racks to choose gifts and necessary items.

“Each child receives one stocking stuffer item, one small gift, one large gift, hats and gloves and a stuffed animal,” Kvangnes explained. “Each family member is eligible to receive a coat, and household items, clothing and Christmas accessories are also available.”

For the most part, Christmas House only accepts donations of new items. “We do not offer used merchandise, or any merchandise we wouldn’t see fit to give our own families as gifts. We want every child who receives gifts through Christmas House to wake up on December 25 with brand new gifts under their tree,” said Kvangnes.

The organization does accept donations of slightly used warm winter coats, providing them as a service to the families.

Christmas House requires about 500 volunteers each season. Some work goes on year-round in preparation for December.

“We have three or four ladies who shop all year long, searching for sales and closeouts. Generally, they find items we need for 10 to 20 cents on the dollar. That means $20,000 in donations can be turned into $60,000 or $70,000 worth of gifts,” Kvangnes said.

Christmas House has earned the support of more than 50 corporate sponsors and local businesses, many of which have contributed annually for more than five years. Both cash and in-kind contributions are welcomed by the non-profit organization.

Kvangnes is general manager of Judd & Black, which provides a generous cash donation along with the use of its warehouse for storage. Other major sponsors include The Everett Clinic Foundation, the EverTrust Foundation and the Tulalip Tribes. The largest cash donor, City Bank, provided $30,000 for the purchase of new bicycles through its Wheels for Kids program.

Donations of new toys and gifts for Christmas House can be made at Getchell Fire Station No. 2 and at Judd & Black Appliances in Marysville. To volunteer to help during the Christmas House operating hours, or for load-out December 26 through 29, visit the Web site at www.christmas-house.org and click on “Volunteer.”