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Donate today to provide warm clothing and holiday gifts for children in need.

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ABOUT US

The Winter Foundation started in 2005, the year my sister started teaching first grade at a Title I school (a school with a high percentage of students living in poverty). She told me about a little boy coming to school without snow boots or a coat. He and his sister were living with his aunt because both his parents were in prison. Shortly after his aunt took them in, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She wasn’t able to work regularly due to her illness and there wasn’t money for boots and coats. I couldn’t bear the thought of this little boy without warm clothes in the winter, so I bought him a coat and boots. That spring, when the winter clothing went on sale, I grabbed as many coats and boots as I could, knowing that next winter there would be a kid who would need them. That was the beginning of The Winter Foundation.

WHY WE ARE DIFFERENT

Your donations go 100% to the children.

We have no overhead, no administration fees, and no paid employees.

We became a 501c3, non-profit organization in 2008. We use every donated dollar for the children. As a foundation, we are dedicated to using donations directly for the children's needs and not for administration. We do not have any paid employees, all labor is volunteered, including the labor of our founder. We do not pay outside companies to advertise or fund-raise for us. The Foundation is run out of a donated space, so there are no facility fees, storage fees, or utility costs. We diligently look for sales and deals throughout the year so your donation goes further and we are still able to provide quality items that should last. We do not provide extravagant items for Christmas gifts, but fun and educational items.

We shop sales throughout the year so your donation goes further.

Over the past 16 years, we have grown to help about 300 children every year. We work directly with the school districts in our area to identify the students who need help. We provide for all the children in these families, focusing on warm clothing but also providing some Christmas gifts. Each child is eligible for a coat, boots, shoes, socks, underwear, pants, shirts, a few toys, and a Christmas stocking.

The Winter Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible. You will be provided with a receipt for your donation to use on your taxes. Please assist us in continuing to provide for these children and donate today. Everything helps.

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FOSTER CARE

In 2015, my neighbor began collecting backpacks and suitcases for his Eagle Scout project. He explained that many abused and neglected children are removed from their homes with only a garbage bag holding a few belongings. He wanted to provide something better for these children. I immediately contacted our local foster care division and offered to help. No child should have their life diminished to a garbage bag. We established a relationship with a bag manufacturer and have been providing these children with a quality duffle bag embroidered with their names. The bags are filled with clothing, toiletries, a blanket, a personalized pillowcase and pillow, a personalized Christmas stocking, and a few Christmas gifts.

We have also been able to assist some of the children who “foster out” of the system, meaning they turn 18 or graduate from high school and no longer qualify for assistance from the foster program. These kids leave the system without belongings needed to establish an adult life, such as dishes, linens, beds, cleaning supplies. Because they are now considered adults, it is difficult to find people who are willing to help them. We would love to be able to expand this part of our foundation and help set up these young adults for success.

Please help us continue to assist these vulnerable kids. Every donation helps.

Duffle bags for the foster care program, 2019.

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CHRISTMAS BOX HOUSE

The Christmas Box House is an emergency shelter for children and teens who have been taken from their homes but do not yet have a foster home. We were fortunate enough to receive a large donation at the beginning of 2021, specifically for adding a theater room and improving the playground at one of their shelters. We were also able to supply Easter baskets for the kids.

Building a theater room for The Christmas Box House, 2021.

New playground built for The Christmas Box House, 2021.

Easter baskets for The Christmas Box House, 2021.

OTHER WAYS YOU CAN HELP

Amazon Smile

Amazon has a version of their website that donates a percentage of your purchases to a charity of your choice. Using Amazon Smile does not change your shopping experience, the price of items, or the advantages of your Prime membership (if you have one). The only difference is Amazon donates 0.5% of your eligible purchases to charity. The Winter Foundation is one of the charities you can choose on Amazon Smile. Over the years, Amazon has contributed a significant amount to The Winter Foundation through AmazonSmile. To learn how to set up The Winter Foundation as your charity and start using Amazon Smile click here to learn more

Volunteer

We couldn’t do it without our volunteers! Most assistance is needed from November 15 - December 15 every year, but we also need help during the rest of the year when items go on sale. There are several ways to volunteer.

Shop: We start to receive requests from the schools the first week of November. If we don’t have the right size of clothing for each child already in stock, we need volunteers who can shop for these items. We also need shoppers throughout the year as items go on sale. You can be added to our pool for year-round shopping. Your availability is completely up to you. Shoppers can be reimbursed for the cost of the items they purchase. We just need the receipt and will immediately cut you a check. If you are able to donate the cost of the items, we will give you a receipt for the donation so you can write it off on your taxes. Click here if you are interested in becoming a shopper.

Sort and Pack: We need people who can assist with packing each child’s gift bag in November and December. This takes place at The Foundation’s headquarters in Layton, UT. You will be given a child’s checklist from which you will pack their gift bag with the items listed. We also need people to sort donations into the correct storage bins so our packers can find the right items. Your availability is completely up to you. Click here if you are interested in becoming a sorter or packer.

Deliver: Approximately two weeks before Christmas, we pack all the gift bags into trailers and deliver them to the schools where the children's families will retrieve them. We need volunteers who can lift and carry heavy items to assist with this. This is physically demanding as each bag typically weighs between 30 and 60 pounds and there are more than 300 bags every year. We occasionally need additional trailers and drivers. Click here if you are interested in helping with delivery.

Share with Friends and Family

Let your friends and family know about us! Any help of any kind or size is greatly appreciated.