SPOKANE, Wash. – Hundreds of people lined up at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center Thursday, some as early as 4 a.m., for an annual event that transforms the holiday season for thousands of local low-income families.
“We know that they’re standing in a long line, but once they get in, each household is eligible for a grocery voucher and if they have children in their home they can also shop for a book and a toy for each child in their family,” said Christmas Bureau coordinator Heidi Meany.
This marks the 78th year for the holiday assistance distribution event that fills carts and hearts of people like Alex Carter, who was excited to ‘shop’ for new toys for all three of her children.
“I was asking JOYA for some resources for our family because we just came in for a hardship and we just got housing,” Alex said. “It was really hard for us to do anything for Christmas.”
Now, Alex is one of hundreds of parents who left the fairgrounds knowing their kids wouldn’t go without this Christmas.
“It’s a pretty amazing experience coming here and being able to walk through and pick up (toys) for your kids,” Alex said. “They’ll get Christmas and be happy.”
Heidi Meany says families are eligible for the assistance by showing identification documents and documents that tie their children to the household such as a DSHS award letter, or school enrollment letter.
“We can work with a lot of different forms of identification,” Heidi said. “Last year in 2023 we served 25,000 individuals, we served 8,000 families and over 13,000 children so it’s just a pretty incredible number.”
Heidi said 8,222 teddy bears and stuffed animals were donated to the cause from the Spokane Chiefs Teddy Bear Toss and other community events. She said the Spokesman-Review collects monetary donations that fund the following year’s event, Volunteers of America purchases the books and provides volunteers, and her employer, Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington, staff and coordinate the event she finds so rewarding to be part of.
Additionally, DSHS and Snap Energy Assistance are on-site each day providing their services.
“People have big smiles, people are excited when they pick out big toys, but we also see a few tears shed here,” Heidi said. “Sometimes our volunteers are so moved that they shed a few tears too.”
Heidi said it takes about 120 volunteers each day to run the event that goes from
– 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 12, 13, 14 and 19.
– 3 p.m. To 7 p.m. on Dec. 16, 17, and 18.
Information about getting involved can be found at www.ChristmasBureauSpokane.org or by contacting Christmas.Bureau@cceasternwa.org
“It’s a beautiful experience for everybody,” Heidi said.
