December 2011
Dear Friends,

We at the Vina Moses Center have much to be thankful for. During difficult financial times we continue to be able to serve families and children in Benton County. Each month about 1,000 people come to the Center to select clothing, toys, and household goods for their families. In the fall, 1100 children get school supplies and clothing at the Back to School Program.
This Christmas we look forward to being able to provide 1200 families with food and/or gifts. We need your participation again this year. You can help families in many ways: sponsor a family, take a gift to a giving tree, donate non perishable food or volunteer your time. Information about ways to help is inside this letter.
Thank you for your time, talents, goods, and financial support. Your gifts make a difference to the families we serve and to our community. All of us at Vina Moses are wishing all of you a wonderful Christmas and joyful New Year.

Christine Duffney
Executive Director

Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks
December 1st – 10th
Sorting food and making food boxes, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Displaying toys and making gift boxes.
December 12th – 17th
Distribution 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. each day and 5 - 7 p.m. on the 14th & 16th
December 17th
Volunteer drivers are needed to deliver in Corvallis and Philomath starting at 9 a.m. Help is needed for tear down and clean up.

Scheduling is difficult as we are never certain when we will receive food and gifts and we are never sure how many food/gift boxes will be needed. On days you are available to volunteer, call the Christmas Center (541-231-5737) after 8:30 a.m. to see what help is needed that day. Volunteers who work day after day at the Center sorting and displaying items; volunteers working at the Back to School Program, the Christmas Program, and the Benton County Prom Dress Program; volunteers assembling baby layettes; and volunteers helping at fund raising events. This past year we conducted two estate sales, two benefit sales, and ran the food booth at the Antique Auto Show. We could not do this work without the organizations, businesses, and individuals who donate money and make in-kind donations. Thank you for your time, talents, goods, and financial support. Your gifts make a difference to the families we serve and to our community.

The Vina Moses Center provides baskets of gifts and food to more than 1200 low-income Benton County families each year. There are many ways for you to help:

Food Drives: Collect non-perishable foods for distribution with Christmas baskets

Toy/Gift Collection: Collect toys and gifts for children of the families we provide baskets for.

Fundraise: Collect funds to purchase perishable foods.

Volunteer: Help pack food baskets. Make gift baskets. Help distribute baskets.

Sponsor A Family: Sponsor a family for $75.00 (family of 4). Any cash donations are appreciated.

Adopt A Family: You/your group provides food and gift basket for a family assigned to you. You may provide both food and gifts or just food or gifts. You may wish to deliver your basket to the family or have the Center deliver it for you. The cost for this program is approximately $200.00 for a family of 5; this includes gifts for adults. Please keep this in mind when deciding on the number of families or size of family that you wish to adopt.

Giving Tree: You can display a giving tree in your business or organization that will carry tags. Each tag will describe a child or senior citizen with their age and gender. The number of names is up to you, and you can choose a combination of kids and seniors, or just one or the other. People take a tag, buy a gift and return it unwrapped to the tree.