Gift of the Drummer helps bring Christmas to kids

Friday, Nov. 06, 2015

SALT LAKE CITY — This year will mark the 15th that community support has allowed for the success of Catholic Community Services’ Gift of the Drummer program.

Although the holiday season isn’t yet officially underway, CCS is already making preparations to create a merry Christmas for children in need.

The Gift of the Drummer program helps more than 1,200 children every year. It is divided into two parts: one for the families that are registered through CCS’ Saint Vincent de Paul Basics Needs Services, and the other for refugee children who with their families and unaccompanied refugee children who are in foster care.

The children who benefit through Gift of the Drummer fall into the strict requirement guidelines of the program: the families who qualify have to be 150 percent below the poverty level, which equates to a family of four living on $1,863 a month.

The children who are beneficiaries of the program come from all different faiths and walks of life. 

“The majority are refugees who not only need toys and gifts but the basic necessities for growing children,” said Danielle Stamos, CCS public relations and marketing coordinator. 

The Gift of the Drummer program provides for children from newborn to age 17 with clothing items such as shoes, socks, dresses, pants and coats, “whatever people can afford,” said Dennis Kelsch, CCS Basic Needs Services director.

The families seeking to be sponsored write letters explaining their basic needs. After the children are registered, their information is given to individuals and companies who donate to the Gift of the Drummer. The sponsors of the children  select them from a list that provides the child’s age, sex and clothing sizes.

“The kids are assigned to someone who will provide them with presents – winter clothes such as gloves, hats, boots, coats,” said Stamos.

Catholic schools in Utah as well as the parishes also participate in the program. “Without our wonderful Catholic schools and parishes the program would not exist,” said Stamos.

The gifts must be delivered to CCS, 745 East 300 South, Salt Lake City, between Nov. 30 and Dec. 3. They should be delivered unwrapped; CCS provides wrapping paper to the parents when they pick up the gifts.

“It’s very important to give to those in need; when families are shopping for themselves it doesn’t take that much to pick up an extra sweater or an extra pair of gloves,” said Stamos.

For information about the Gift of the Drummer program, call 801-428-1216, visit www.ccsutah.org or email drummer@ccsutah.org or giftofthedrummer@ccsutah.org.