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It feels like holiday preparations begin earlier each year. Christmas decorations hit store shelves before the calendar turns to November. Jingles from holiday commercials for shiny new gifts are stuck in your head before Thanksgiving dinner is on the table. The age-old debate rages on: when is it really time to start listening to Christmas music?
For many, the arrival of the holiday season ushers in warm feelings with thoughts of family time, big plates of tasty food, and unwrapping gifts. As the song says, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!
For our neighbors experiencing homelessness, however, the holiday season can be the most challenging time of the year. Many find themselves braving the streets alone, trying to stave off the bitter cold through sleepless nights. Christmas gifts aren’t even a thought, much less a reality. Instead, these neighbors wonder whether the few clothes they own will be enough to get them through the winter season.
One recent guest, Tim, was worried about the cold before he came to SRM. “I don’t think I’d last even one night,” he said as he considered trying to spend a night in the freezing temperatures.
While Springs Rescue Mission is helping Tim stay safe and warm this holiday season, he’s hungry for more than just food and shelter.
“I want to see everybody come together, enjoy a meal together and have some fun – smile,” he said. “To have a secondary family – that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
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That’s what we’re all about at Springs Rescue Mission – restoration rooted in community. While physical needs are of true importance, the spiritual and emotional needs of our guests are top priorities as well.
When the holidays come around, it’s common for our neighbors to experience the physical cold due to lack of warm clothing or shelter, but it’s also common to feel the chill of loneliness during a season that’s supposed to be full of connection with others.
At Springs Rescue Mission, we want to close this gap to ensure our neighbors in need experience a holiday season full of warmth, good food, and the joy of knowing they are loved and cared about.
Here are four ways you can join Springs Rescue Mission in supporting the unhoused this holiday season:
1. Care Packages – There are all kinds of goodies that come around during the holidays, and even the smallest can make our guests feel an abundance of love. Fill a care package with holiday treats and small essentials like Chapstick, deodorant, or toothbrushes to help a guest experience a dignified holiday season. Bring your care packages down to Springs Rescue Mission and we’ll distribute them to neighbors in need.
2. Donate Clothing or Set up a Drive – Warm clothing is always a need during the winter months at SRM. Specific needs during these months include size 3X–5X shirts, sweats, pants, and coats (mostly for men, but donations for women are also appreciated). You can also set up a clothing drive with your business, church, or organization, or drop off donations at our donation center.
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3. Volunteer – We always stay busy at Springs Rescue Mission, and when the holidays roll around, there are plenty of projects that require volunteer assistance. Volunteers impact guests on our campus with as little as a smile or an encouraging word. Sign up to volunteer here.
4. Give – The holiday season coincides with the end of the tax year, making it an effective time for you to contribute financially to SRM’s work. Gifts of at least $250 qualify for Colorado’s Homeless Contribution Tax Credit (HCTC). You can become a monthly donor to Springs Rescue Mission here.
Regardless of how you choose to assist, you’re making an impact on the lives of so many of our neighbors in need. We appreciate you and wish you all of Christ’s blessings this holiday season.
