There are a couple of ways to get involved helping those that are less fortunate than us this holiday season at Colorado State University-Pueblo.

The fourth annual Holiday Blessings Store and CSU-Pueblo students are donating their time, canned foods and unwrapped gifts to help families in need.

Justin Menu, president of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, donated more than 800 bags filled with canned goods to St. Joseph’s Parish.

Lake Avenue Baptist Church, located at 1345 Lake Ave., is accepting donations the first week of December, according to its church bulletin.

“If you want to donate before the first week of December, Lake Avenue Baptist Church accepts gifts Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until noon and Posada will accept donations Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.,” said Anne Stattelman, the executive director of Posada.

This is a combined effort by Posada, Cooperative Care Center, Cento de Los Pobres and the Interfaith Hospitality Network and School District 60, according to the fourth annual Holiday Blessings Store newsletter.

Lake Avenue Baptist Church will be hosting the project and Posada will be sponsoring the project.

This effort by local assistance agencies in Pueblo is to help respond to the enormous unmet needs around the holidays for gifts for children.

“Last year we served over 800 families and 2,000 children and it should be bigger this year, especially because of how our economy is,” said Jonna Adamich, the volunteer coordinator for the fourth annual Holiday Blessings Store.

There is an expectation that by combining the resources of local agencies more families can be assisted during the holidays, according to the newsletter.

The goal of this project is to give families choice and autonomy as they shop for and wrap their children’s gifts.
“Wal-Mart is also donating toys, so this should really help out when it comes to the children’s gifts,” Adamich said.

Wrapping supplies such as tape, scissors, wrapping paper and gifts bags are also needed for donation.

Unwrapped new toys for ages three to 12 are being accepted by Posada, located at 1008 North Grand Ave.

Toys will be separated by age for distribution to local children in need.

“Every child will receive one large gift and one small gift,” Stattelman said.

One thousand referral cards for families will be distributed to the agencies for the families they have assisted in the past years.

Volunteers are needed to help greet, sign in and walk with families through the store and assist families as they wrap.

“We need volunteers for all kinds of duties and some people to help separate toys and help coordinate the age and gender of all the gifts,” Adamich said.

There will be training for volunteers on Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. and Dec. 18 at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Volunteers are also needed for store set-up from Dec. 14 through Dec. 18.

There will also be volunteers on-site from the church while the store is operating. Any issues about the facility will be directed to them.

Lake Avenue Baptist Church is going to be opened to families on Dec. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Dec. 20 from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“We are really depending on the generosity from the community because this is a good service and a good product,” Stattleman said.

To volunteer or for more information contact Jonna Adamich at 719-542-8341.