"Building relationships to support our community with

collaboration, compassion and purpose."

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BY JOHN BAILEY

Catawba County United Way

The Salvation Army of Greater Hickory’s Maj. Karla Perez thought her first time participating in the Catawba County Christmas Bureau was great. 

She and her husband Maj. Enrique Perez transferred to Hickory this past summer and while this was their 20th year organizing an Angel Tree program, it was their first time experiencing the local Christmas Bureau.

“It was exciting to have the space we had (at Design Foundry in Hickory). It made the process much smoother,” Perez said. “And it was great to see all the organizations come together to make it happen.”

This year the Christmas Bureau served 914 families with 2,742 youth from the Angel Tree program, including 584 teens (ages 13-17).

The Catawba County Christmas Bureau is a collaborative effort among many Catawba County agencies and organizations to provide toys, clothing, coats and food to children and teenagers in need of assistance during the Christmas season.

Planning starts with meetings in January leading up to distribution days in December.

Toys are gathered through The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program and from Marine Toys for Tots and other donations from local businesses. The Hickory Soup Kitchen makes sure every family receives a Food Lion gift card as well.

The Hickory Fire Department helps provide bikes for the event while Century Furniture helps purchase tricycles.

The Catawba County United Way Teen Christmas program provides $50 in gift cards for ages 13-17 and partners with Shurtape Technologies to support the outreach.

“It's this collaborative spirit from all the partners that is the foundation of the Christmas Bureau’s success each year, helping to provide presents for children of local families in need and putting food on their tables,” CCUW Executive Director Mark Bumgarner said. “It’s the best reminder of what Christmas should be, and the families I met were so grateful and overwhelmed by the generosity of our community.”

(In the photo - CCUW executive director Mark Bumgarner helps pass out the Teen Christmas gift cards along side of volunteers from the Hickory Soup Kitchen who gave families Food Lion gift cards.) - Photo courtesy of Robert C. Reed

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NIGHT SHELTERS

THE SALVATION ARMY OF GREATER HICKORY

The Salvation Army will be operating their White Flag nights like previous years.

In weather 35 degrees or below, it will allow those on the outside to come into the Shelter of Hope at 7 p.m. (after staff is able to turn the Dining Room around for them to go in there). The shelter will take anyone in, as long as they have not been banned for physical violence and/or on the sexual predator list. This is on a night-by-night basis.

If they are wanting to eat, they may come in at regular dinner time at 5 p.m. but must leave and then return at 7 p.m.

For information call - 828-322-8061 or visit THIS LINK.

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF NEWTON (300 N Main Ave, Newton, NC 28658)

Room in the Inn Emergency Shelter will open this weekend: Saturday Dec. 21, Sunday Dec. 22 and Monday Dec. 23.

The Fellowship Hall, accessed on N. Ashe Ave, will open on nights Room In the Inn is operational. Coffee and snacks will be available when doors open. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. Lights out at 11 p.m. Breakfast will be served at 7 a.m. and guests will be asked to head out by 8:30 a.m. If the shelter will be open the following night, belongings may be left in the Fellowship Hall.

Volunteers Needed: visit https://firstnewton.org/room-in-the-inn to sign up to help at Room in the Inn.

DAY SHELTERS

SAFE HARBOR – HICKORY - https://safeharbornc.org/

Safe Harbor is open M, T, W, and F 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Th 8 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Any lady or lady with children experiencing homeless is welcome to come for a warm place, something to eat, laundry and service navigation. 

STRONG LIFE MINISTRIES – Conover - https://www.stronglifenc.org/

Strong Life will start opening as a daytime warming station starting the first Saturday in December as it is just Monday through Friday during non-winter months. 

• 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Monday – Saturday

Strong Life is also available any night for white flag under conditions but will function as a secondary plan in case there is an overflow or an issue with the Salvation Army having a hard time doing it. 

If you know of any other warming sites in Catawba County please share with the United Way - jbailey@ccunitedway.com or call 828-327-6851, and thank you to all those volunteers and agency staff who work to make sure these services are available for the most vulnerable in our community.

We've all heard the phrase - "It takes a village," and in the non-profit world it's true. The Catawba County United Way enjoys building relationships with its community partners and sees how much greater our impact is because of our collective efforts every day.

Below are some upcoming nonprofit events from just a few of those partners...please share, and if you're interested, the Catawba County Interagency Council meets the second Thursday every month (10:30 a.m.) at the United Way office - 2760 Tate Blvd SE in Hickory.

Call 828-327-6851 for more information or email jbailey@ccunitedway.com.

NC 211 is the United Way of North Carolina's health and human services information line.

For help - Call NC 211 by dialing 2-1-1 or (888) 892 1162 or visit THIS LINK. Open 24/7.

The Catawba County United Way is a proud to help fund NC 211 locally.