University Needy Children’s Program Wraps Up Christmas Giving
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2000
Kathleen McPartland
530-898-4260
University Needy Children’s Program Wraps Up Christmas Giving
Gifts were piled high in the Pavilion at the University Farm on Wednesday evening, December 6. Twenty members of the staff at California State University Chico gathered to sort the gifts to be delivered to 86 families in the Chico area.
Debbie Sandoz, chair of the Staff Council’s Service Project Committee, estimated that gifts and money totaling over $40,000 were donated this year. Each family will receive a certificate for food of $50, along with gifts for each child in the family.
The Needy Children program at the university started in the 1980s. Staff Council adopted it as a project in 1990, and since 1994, Yvonne Lydon, Financial Aid, has chaired or co-chaired the program.
Social workers for the families share stories of the joy created in the family by the gifts. They say that there are many children and families that never forget the time they were adopted by CSU, Chico at Christmas time.
Sandoz said that the offices that participate really benefit from the program, too. “Pulling together your resources as an office at this time of year brings office employees closer together. It gets you in the spirit for the season and reminds you what the true meaning of Christmas is.”
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