Holidays can be stressful especially for those who are struggling financially.
A popular holiday celebrated in America is Christmas!
Christmas is supposed to be a time where families and loved ones can come together to enjoy food and gifts.
However, people who are already struggling to pay the bills may not be able to be so lucky.
That is why there are Christmas assistance options that can help people with free food, housing assistance, bill-pay financial support, free toys, and more!
Available Christmas Assistance Programs
A lot of individuals struggling don’t realize just how many Christmas assistance options are available to help.
What is Christmas?
This is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.
However, even those who are not religious still celebrate!
Christmas has a history of encouraging people to be kind and giving to one another.
That is why it’s no surprise that there are programs that aim to help those in need like:
- Cars4Christmas
- Christmas Tree Project
- Local Charity Assistance
- Marine Toys for Tots
- Operation Christmas Child
- Salvation Army Assistance
Cars4Christmas
Not everyone can afford a vehicle.
They are expensive to buy and maintain!
However, charities understand that this is a struggle for those dealing with financial hardship which is why they aim to help.
Cars4Christmas can help by giving cars to qualifying families.
The cars are also filled with other assistance like groceries, cleaning products, a Smithfield Christmas ham, child safety seats if needed, gas cards, toys, and more!
Some of the products in the car will be based on what the family needs. For example, a family with no young children wouldn’t need a car seat.
Christmas Tree Project
A holiday tradition of Christmas involves a Christmas tree!
Every year families will either get a live or fake tree to have in their home and decorate.
However, the average cost of a live tree can be between $80 and $100!
For some families, that is the price of essential bills needed to survive like groceries, heat during the winter, etc.
That is why the Christmas Tree Project provides families in need with fully decorated trees so that they can enjoy the festivities without having to break the bank.
Local Charity Assistance
People in need should always check local charities all year round for available assistance.
However, it is especially true during Christmas time.
Charities can work on their own or with other Social Service Agencies to offer assistance to eligible recipients.
Available assistance will vary based on location so you will want to see what’s around your area.
Marine Toys for Tots
Parents may be faced with a tough decision to choose between gifts for their child or paying for bills during Christmas time.
However, the marines aim to end that.
The military has always been known to be an important part of the community.
That is why they aim to provide families with new unwrapped toys to children in need for the holidays.
Operation Christmas Child
Children can especially benefit from this program assistance option.
Operation Christmas Child can give shoeboxes full of hygiene items, school supplies, and toys.
This assistance can help both children in America and children across the world in other countries!
Salvation Army Assistance
A popular source for assistance all year round (and especially during Christmas time) is the Salvation Army.
Normally, this organization can offer support through homeless shelters, traditional housing, permanent supportive housing, and reentry resources.
However, they also offer additional assistance opportunities around Christmas!
The Angel Tree Program is an assistance option that can give free toys to children that may not be able to normally get them.
In terms of bill pay assistance, the Salvation Army can help households handle their utility bills in an attempt to offset the financial burdens that may come along with Christmas.
Other Options That Can Help if You Can’t Get Christmas Assistance
Oftentimes Christmas assistance is in limited supply.
This means that even though there are plenty of options, eligible families may not be able to receive help they need during this time.
Luckily, there are other opportunities that may be able to provide support like:
Housing Choice Voucher Program
This program is more commonly known as Section 8.
It can give housing vouchers to recipients that can go towards the cost of housing.
The amount of these vouchers vary based on information found on the application.
However, not every property will accept these vouchers as a form of payment.
Recipients can only go to places that accept them!
For more information you will want to check out your local public housing authority (PHA).
Medicaid
Medicaid is an assistance option that can help eligible low income Americans receive health coverage.
States are the ones to provide this medical assistance but generally eligibility is based on federal requirements.
If you want to get more information you can talk to your state’s Human Services department or other local Medicaid office.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Another costly bill that Americans have is groceries.
It can be especially hard for low-income Americans to buy everything they need for their families.
Luckily, SNAP may be able to help.
SNAP can give eligible recipients funds every month on an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card.
Sadly, these cards can only buy groceries at stores that accept them as a form of payment.
The amount that a person will receive varies based on family size, income level, etc.
For more information you can get in touch with your local SNAP office.
Overall
Many Americans can benefit from Christmas assistance options like:
- Cars4Christmas
- Christmas Tree Project
- Local Charity Assistance
- Marine Toys for Tots
- Operation Christmas Child
- Salvation Army Assistance
Unfortunately families dealing with financial hardship may not be able to receive support from these Christmas assistance options even if they are eligible since they tend to have limited availability.
Luckily, there are other assistance options that may be able to help like:
- Housing Choice Voucher Program
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
There may be more help for your situation than you realize.
