Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Utah County's Sub for Santa program faces record demand this holiday season.
- United Way CEO and President Bill Hulterstrom reports it will assist 2,700 families and 7,000 children this year.
- He added community generosity has increased, but so has the need for donations.
PROVO — Christmastime is supposed be joyous, but for many families across the state who are struggling to afford the basics, it's not.
That's especially evident in Utah County, where the Sub for Santa program is seeing record need.
"This year, the need is even greater than last year," said Bill Hulterstrom, president and CEO of United Way of Utah County.
According to Hulterstrom, the Sub for Santa program — which is in its 43rd year — will serve around 2,700 families with more than 7,000 children in 2025. The program will also serve around 500 special needs adults, he said.
Each person who applies for help through Sub for Santa explains why they're in need. Here are a few of them:
- "I'm a single father of three children. A few years ago, I lost my wife, and since then, it's been a challenge trying to keep everything together."
- "My husband works in construction and this year has been harder. The past month, work has dropped off significantly. We are struggling trying to cover past due payments and keeping our utilities on."
- "Every year I try to save something, but my bills pretty much tripled, mortgage increased a bit, and I don't qualify for any assistance."
- "I feel like a failure this year to ask for help. Just had two surgeries and more procedures coming this year."
"What we're still seeing," Hulterstrom told KSL-TV, "is amazing pressures on our families in Utah County."
At a Provo warehouse on Friday morning, Barry Graff and his colleagues from the Brigham Young University McKay School of Education helped sort through books, toys, and games, getting them ready to be delivered.
"Just looking around this room, it looks to me like not only is there a greater need, but there's also a greater outpouring of help," said Graff. "I've never seen this much stuff packed in here before, so I think the community's really stepping up and really helping out."
"A lot of people have donated and are so generous," added Carrie Stevenson.
Hulterstrom agreed.
"The good news is that generosity is up," he said. "The bad news is the need is up as well."
The Utah County Sub for Santa program is still taking donations, especially cash. Donations are accepted on United Way's website.
