2020 has proven to be a tumultuous and unprecedented year, but it has not impeded the charitable efforts of many throughout the Rio Grande Valley who have helped make the Spirit of Christmas campaign a success in its second year partnership between The Monitor and United Way of South Texas.
This year’s campaign focused on the needs of more than a dozen families from Hidalgo County, a total of 54 individuals. As of Christmas morning, the campaign had raised over $18,000 for these individuals, surpassing the $17,329 raised in last year’s campaign.
“It’s pretty exciting to see how the community is coming together to give back to these individuals,” United Way Community Investment Specialist Maria Flores said Wednesday. “We’re still continuing to collect donations as of right now.”
United Way distributed the first checks to families on Dec. 18, but they will continue to accept donations up until Dec. 31. A second distribution of checks is planned for sometime in January.
“The community’s response, in particular during this challenging time, will be unforgettable for the dozens of families who participated in the Spirit of Christmas program,” United Way of South Texas President Lilly Lopez-Killelea said in a statement. “Mothers and fathers alike, shed tears when they heard that their children would receive a gift on Christmas morning. They are also grateful for the assistance that will allow them to improve their living conditions.
“The United Way board and staff extend their gratitude to The Monitor, and to the school district and non-profit counselors who took the time to visit with families to prepare critical summaries about their circumstances.”
Flores said there was some uncertainty leading up to this year’s campaign given the pandemic and economical struggles felt by many throughout the Valley.
“We were worried, for sure,” Flores said. “I know that a lot of people wanted to contribute with in-kind donations, like product donations and furniture. It was really sad telling them that we can’t take that because at the end of the day, this could’ve been possibly useful to the families. Because of COVID-19, we weren’t able to do that this year.”
She said that the nonprofit anticipated these very situations arising amid the pandemic, but she said that she feels grateful that people were still able to come through for those in need.
“We were a little bit nervous because a lot of individuals did lose their jobs, and maybe they wouldn’t be able to give the way they have done in the past,” Flores said. “But we did get a lot of people who were able to give. We actually had some individuals who told us, ‘Hey, I can’t give right now, but I’m still giving what I can.’ It was either $15 or $20. Even though they were in a bad situation themselves, they were still giving to these families as well. It’s amazing to see that.”
