Holiday Giving Tree Faces Critical Need; Seeks Your Help

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The Volunteer Center announced today the extension of the participation deadline for this year’s Holiday Giving Tree program until next week.

For 25 years, The Volunteer Center’s Holiday Giving Tree program has provided thousands of people with their only gift during the holiday season. The program connects people in need with gift-givers from area companies, schools, congregations and organizations. Last year, 13,500 people received gifts and this year, due to hard economic times, the need is greater than ever.

“Times are tough, and we’re seeing the results of that first hand,” said Volunteer Center Manager Bonnie Andrews. “At this point in time hundreds of tags remain unclaimed, leaving children and adults in need without a gift this year.”

Involvement in the program is easy. Groups are asked to estimate the number of gifts they can purchase and complete a participation form no later than November 19 2009. Groups will then be matched with an agency and will receive a wish list and gift tag for individuals in need. This year, many informal groups of family or friends have participated in the program, taking on a minimum of ten “tags.” The Volunteer Center needs to give out hundreds of tags in the next week, to meet the current need.

“Many Giving Tree recipients would love to receive a gift from their family, or a friend,” said Andrews, “but that probably will not happen. They are the working poor, people with chronic illness, people with disability or a mental illness, or older adults who are no longer able to support themselves.”

To get involved with The Giving Tree program, please visit www.volunteermilwaukee.org or call 414.273.7887.