Share Your Christmas call line opens

April 5, 2011

Share Your Christmas call line opens
The Volunteer Center of Durham

DURHAM -- The phones started ringing at the Share Your Christmas office Monday as the annual gift program launched in Durham. About 1,100 families and individuals will be matched with sponsors by the Volunteer Center and Durham County Dept of Social Services project.

Volunteer Ann Berger answered calls Monday afternoon, matching 25 sponsors with clients in just a few hours. She heard from individuals, churches, departments at Duke University and a Brownie troop that she matched with two little girls who are the same age as the Brownies.

"Everybody's just so happy," Berger said. "One thing I love about it is the excitement in the community."

She said callers are excited to be matched and start shopping for a list of clients that includes senior citizens, disabled adults and families. About 60 percent of the gifts will be delivered by sponsors, she said. The rest of the clients receive their gifts through their DSS case workers. Berger said that donors who deliver will often bring a Christmas tree and meal, too.

Berger has volunteered since 1997 and served eight years on the Volunteer Center board.

"I love the matching part of it," she said. Some parents call wanting families with children the same age as the donors'. Others ask for those whose need is greatest.

Sponsors get a list of gifts to buy for the Share Your Christmas clients. They may also donate money that volunteers will use to purchase the gifts left on Santa's list.

Last year, Share Your Christmas served more than 1,000 families, said Ja'Nell Henry, DSS holiday programs coordinator. Clients all come from DSS referrals.

 
Volunteer Anne Moore has been involved since the collaboration was launched in 1976. When she started, she was working part-time at the Volunteer Center, where she later became director. She retired in 1994. Now she volunteers, answering phones and doing administrative work. That first year of Share Your Christmas, modeled after a similar program in Fayetteville, served less than 200 people. The program grew as needs grew, she said.

Moore said sponsors have told her that participating makes their Christmas.

Profiles of Share Your Christmas clients are printed in The Herald-Sun during the program, which lasts through Dec. 10.

Volunteers are still needed to answer phones and match sponsors to clients, shop, write client profiles and do administrative work. To volunteer, contact Ja'Nell Henry at janell@thevolunteercenter.org or (919) 613-5101.

To be matched with a Share Your Christmas client, call the Volunteer Center of Durham at (919) 613-5101. Phones lines will be open between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Dec. 10.

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