EDITORIAL: Brighten their holidays — and beyond
If you’re in the vast majority of North Idaho voters who cast ballots last month, the following statement will ring true:
The economy was a primary concern.
And if you’re also among that majority, you firmly believe that help is on the way.
The message today is not political. It is about local need and the ability to help meet that need, an opportunity and a responsibility for all good citizens.
Since its inception 39 years ago and program transformation over the past few years, Press Christmas for All has been the favored holiday conduit between hundreds of people with the ability to help and Kootenai County residents with serious need.
Other statements that should ring true: Inflation has sapped the strength of most people’s ability to maintain their standard of living; housing costs have put many people in an even deeper hole; and for young working parents in particular, the proportion of budget that must go to child care jeopardizes what remains of that budget.
While Press Christmas for All is an annual fundraising drive powered by the holiday spirit that is so richly imbued in the hearts of North Idahoans, its reach goes far beyond the season. Donors’ generosity between now and Christmas will make significant and sometimes dramatic differences in recipients’ lives not just next year, but for many years.
That’s why CFA’s gift-giving focus shifted from any county resident stating they needed help during the holidays to those who were fully vetted by CFA partners. These people are of course all different, but they have some things in common.
All CFA recipients have some skin in the game, based on their individual circumstances and abilities.
They prefer a hand-up rather over a hand-out.
CFA recipients tend to be hard-working people who simply don’t have enough to improve their overall lot: a set of tires so someone can get to work; new eyeglasses so someone can see well enough to fill out an employment application or get a better job; a bed for children so Mom and Dad don’t need to sleep on the floor, improving not only the children’s lives, but the adults’ ability to consistently function at a higher level.
These and many more connections are examples of the power of the Christmas for All program, an engine that keeps purring long after the presents are unwrapped and the holiday meal is consumed.
This year, the need might be even greater than usual. Thank goodness, the potential for you to make a lasting difference in neighbors’ lives could be greater, too.
To all who give a tax-deductible CFA gift every year, and there are hundreds of you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
And if you haven’t participated in this program yet? Read the daily front-page articles. Chances are, you’ll soon discover the joy of helping local people in ways that stretch far beyond the holiday season.