Volunteers wrap gifts for Operation Santa Claus at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Columbine Courier has highlighted a service project involving hundreds of volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Columbine congregations along with the United Alliance and Lockheed Martin in support of Operation Santa Claus.

Operation Santa Claus is a nonprofit organization for which employees, their families and retirees volunteer to provide gifts and food to families in the Denver area. There were more than 400 volunteers who bought and wrapped presents, collected groceries and delivered them to 294 families that included 890 children.

Operation Santa Claus receives referrals of needy families from about a dozen nonprofits, including Jewish Family Services and the Salvation Army.

“They know the families that come to them for help,” Cowley said. “We ask for families who have kids.”

The Home Front Cares Inc., an organization that assists military families and those of veterans, also provided names of families for this year’s event. Volunteers meet at a local LDS meetinghouse to work like elves assembling and packaging the gifts.

Read more in the Columbine Courrier and Thank You Sandy Barnes for the great article.