CHANDLER, Ariz. — Inflation has been disrupting family budgets for months, and now it’s threatening the upcoming holiday season. Getting a head start to make sure no one goes without this year, is a force of dedicated volunteers in the East Valley.
While it may be tough for many of us to even start thinking about holiday gift-giving, it’s an early must at the Chandler CARE Center. They serve thousands of Chandler children and get started early to make sure there’s enough to go around for all.
Bobbi Ancer has been a Chandler CARE volunteer for longer than she can remember. Ahead of the holidays in September, food donation packing is filling typical weekly needs.
But in the coming weeks, volunteer hours are packed for Thanksgiving and Christmas, Katie Kahle the Chandler CARE Center Director, said.
“We start gearing up months in advance even though it’s hot outside," Kahle said. Volunteers fill bags to fill tables for Chandler families who otherwise wouldn’t be able to.
“It’s one less thing that they have to worry about," Ancer said.
An army of CARE Center volunteers served about 350 families at Thanksgiving in 2021. Meals included a frozen turkey and fixing. Now in 2022, the Care Center is expecting more families to ask for a hand.
“We anticipate numbers higher this year than last couple years, rising cost of gas and groceries like everything else," Kahle said.
And while volunteers prep for Thanksgiving holiday toy drive preps are making forward motion too.
“Last year for our toy drive, we served about 1,000 kids," Carlos Vargas, Battalion Chief PIO with Chandler Fire, said. "We do serve children who live in the city of Chandler.”
Chandler's fire department is getting ready now for all of the winter festivities, in between taking care of daily emergency calls.
“Each year with this program we continue to see it grow and we’re always willing to be part of the program of giving toys to children," Vargas said.
It's a shared sentiment, between all of the Chandler volunteers.
The Chandler CARE Center is accepting applications for Thanksgiving meals and its holiday toy drive through the end of September. There is also a need for volunteers this holiday season.
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