For years, a Poway Unified School District Foundation program called the Giving Tree has connected students in need to people who want to help fulfill their holiday wish lists.
This year, along with Barbies and toy cars, families are asking for help filing their pantries.
"We had a two-child family where one child asked for cereal and the other child asked for milk. I've never seen that before,” said Kim Wetzker, one of the program’s volunteer co-chairs. “A lot asking just for food, just for toilet paper, just shampoo. Just the basic things. I think the prices have gone up so much that people are just hurting a lot this year.”
A national survey from the nonprofit Conference Board found that while consumers who earn between $75,000 and $100,000 and more than $125,000 plan to spend more on gifts this holiday season, those earning less than $75,000 plan to cut back on both gift and nongift expenses.
Poway has a higher median household income than most cities in San Diego County. Still, 15% of residents can’t afford three nutritious meals per day, according to the San Diego Hunger Coalition.
Some of the Giving Tree recipients already participate in programs like school food pantries. School counselors and staff also identify students in need. This year, this program is helping more than 400 families across the Poway Unified School District.
Donors get an anonymous wish list from each family, along with kids’ ages and clothing sizes. The goal is to provide each child with an outfit, a gift from their wish list, a household request from their family and a grocery gift card.
Program co-chair Dorinda Soucek said shopping with a family in mind makes the donation experience more personal.
"They're getting to choose things. They’re getting to learn a little bit about the family. Sometimes favorite colors are on there," she said. "It makes them feel that they're part of it, rather than just asking them to write a check."
Bernardo Heights Middle School teacher Christina Rodocker shopped for a teenager this year. She went to Ulta and asked which perfume was popular.
"They said, 'Girls really like this Ariana Grande perfume,'" she said. "I was like, 'Okay, this is perfect. This is exactly what a teenage girl is going to want.'"
Rodocker’s family has received gifts through a similar program before.
"It took some pressure off," she said. "That pressure these parents feel … all the kids have things, and they want their kids to have that same joy."
Wetzker can also speak from experience. Her family couldn’t afford a Christmas tree or gifts when she was growing up.
"The only Christmas we would get is when the knock came at the door, and somebody would ding-dong-ditch and leave a present for each of us kids and some food for Christmas,” she said. "To me, it was just so special. I felt loved, I felt that somebody knew our situation. We weren't all alone."
Wetzker hopes these gifts will make hundreds of Poway families feel loved, too.
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