Holiday programs struggle to keep up with demands

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Organizations that give struggling Utah families help for the holidays are feeling a little pinched themselves.

With demand up 30 percent and more than 4,700 families asking for help, the Salvation Army in Salt Lake City has stopped taking applications for three of its holiday programs: Sub for Santa, Toys for Tots and Angel Tree.

Many families looking to make sure they have something under the Christmas tree are directed to the 211 information line.

But the group's that been recommended on the 211 line -- the Reach Salt Lake program -- is struggling to keep up with demand too.

Reach officials had hoped to take applications for a month but were maxed out within a week. Organizers expect to give away about 500 stuffed stockings this year, about 150 more than last year. They've also stopped taking applications.

"Basically, I can only give out what I get donated in," said Jonathan Jones, director of Reach Salt Lake. "I don't think organizations like ours were prepared for the numbers for the holidays for such need."

Most of the families they serve are Latino, many of whom are in housing construction, where work has slowed in the lagging economy.

With overwhelming demand, Jones said it might be time for more organizations to help with holiday giving.

Christmas programs in recent years have been consolidated, in part, to reduce the risk of abuse. But with the major programs closed for the season, 211 officials have told about 120 people to call back after Dec. 1 to see if those programs are reopened.

The Salvation Army usually finds a way to serve more families in December -- although the need is greater this year than is typical. "I think the biggest thing is getting people to call when they should," said Lorna Koci, the 211 director.

The community, though, seems to be aware of this year's holiday struggles.

When Rowland Hall-St. Mark's School went looking for volunteers for its annual Christmas dinner giveaway, it took just 48 hours instead of several weeks.

That kind of generosity will help determine how many families get help this year, officials said. For the Salvation Army, whose red kettles began to appear Friday, that generosity is manifested in dollars. "We need the community to be generous to the Salvation Army to allow us to have the ability to assist even more families during the holiday season," Major James Sullivan said. "We don't want to take applications from individuals when we don't think we have the resources to serve them."

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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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