Get Involved
Volunteers begin gearing up after Labor Day in the Fall and swing into full speed after Thanksgiving. We collect donations from boxes placed in sponsoring schools, churches, and businesses. When we get cash donations we are able to buy items most requested by families who come off the streets into the shelters: toothbrushes, gloves, even underwear if it is a special request of the shelters.
We want to update everyone on the latest changes. Due to restrictions, we will not be able to use the Coast Guard Base this year. We have found a new location just a few miles south of the CG Base at a large freight and storage company called SeaTac Marine Services at 6701 Fox Ave S in Seattle.
However, there are additional restrictions and limitations. The facility is an industrial warehouse with machinery present, so there is an age limit and there is a limit of 100-125 volunteers at any time.
To give you a view of the bigger picture, the plan for the stocking stuffing operation follows:
Friday, December 10 - VOLUNTEER POSITIONS ARE ALL FULL
9am-12pm Volunteers, 18 yrs. and older will sort gifts on tables for half of the age tables
1pm-4pm another group 18 yrs. and older will stuff stockings and then do inventory.
Saturday, December 11 - VOLUNTEER POSITIONS ARE ALL FULL
9am-12pm Volunteers, 8 yrs. and older will sort gifts on tables for half the age tables
1-4pm another group 8 yrs. and older will stuff stockings and do inventory.
3-4pm Shelter Captains arrive to pick up boxes.
Volunteers must register, wear a mask and sign a waiver before attending
This warehouse is not heated so it will be very cold and it’s not as clean as a gym. Cars should be able to pull into the warehouse to load stockings in a different area from the stocking stuffing activity. Adequate parking and bathroom facilities are available.
Since the numbers of volunteers at any one time are limited, you will need to make reservations for the time you want to volunteer. You can place your reservations for a 3-hour shift with: Bobette Scheid, at bobette@holidaystockings.org or 206-232-9854
Additional ways to be involved include:
• Assist with grant writing.
• Make a donation of cash or new small gifts (see needed items tab).
• Sponsor a child for $25.
• Decorate a donation box and check on it at a business, school or other organization.
• Contact us for flyers to distribute.
• Mail our brochure to friends and families who might be interested in making a donation.
• Donate holiday fabrics and white felt.
• Donate yarn for hats, scarves and other items.
• Sew stockings. Contact Pearl Grantham (pearl@holidaystockings.org) or Bobette Scheid (bobette@holidaystockings.org) for a pattern and materials.
• Contact a specific business for donations such as socks, deodorants, colognes, toothpaste, small toys or other small gifts.
• Sort gifts on Friday (see above).
• Be a Shelter Captain on Saturday morning, and deliver stockings to a shelter.
• Use smile.amazon.com when ordering items and specify our organization - that's all there is to it. Then use smile.amazon.com each time you shop and we receive a donation.
We have chosen a stocking as a gift for these kids because the small items contained in a stocking are going to be those a child can actually carry in a pocket when it comes time for the inevitable move from the shelter. Shelters tell us that the kids actually hang the stockings by their beds for weeks after the holiday as a reminder that Santa, or someone did find them this year.
While we use the word Santa, we try to make our effort as non-denominational as possible. Our goal is to bring some cheer at a time of year where many religions celebrate a holiday.