Giving (and Receiving) Big Island Holiday Assistance: 2022

Andy Williams said it best when he called the holidays “the most wonderful time of the year.” It is a time for giving and receiving, of spreading the aloha spirit. For some, however, it may be a time of strife and hardships, but the Hawaiʻi Island community has made it our kokua to help. If you are in need of some holiday assistance this season, or would like to help a family in need, these programs are here to put a smile on our neighbors’ faces.

Know about a Big Island holiday assistance program you donʻt see below? Let us know, and weʻll add it to the list!

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Santa Stops in Hawaiʻi: USPS Operation Santa

The North Pole is accepting letters, and the United States Postal Service is here to ensure those letters get delivered. Children and families in need can write letters to Santa, and Santaʻs elves (that’s you!) make their wish come true by “adopting” one of their letters. Letters must be postmarked by December 12, detailing specific wishes including names, sizes, and titles. Envelopes must be addressed to: Santa, 123 Elf Road, North Pole, 88888.

Adopters can visit the program website to choose which letter they would like to sponsor. The website will update regularly as Santa’s helpers at the North Pole sift through the mail. Pick a letter, shop for the perfect gift, wrap it up, and let Santa’s sleigh whisk it away from your mailbox by December 19.

Project Hawaiʻi Grants Homeless Keikiʻs Christmas Wishes

Project Hawaiʻi is at the forefront of the movement to support homeless children in Hawaiʻi, with roots in Hawaiʻi Island, Maui, and Oʻahu. Support their holiday programs, which ensure homeless children and families can have festive holidays, too. Hereʻs how to help:

• Secret Santa: Don your Santa hat and deliver the gift a child has asked for. An important part of Project Hawaiʻi’s Secret Santa operation is the specificity of each child’s gift. By paying attention to the detail in their gift request, you can give your sponsee a sense of individual recognition and love.
• Stuff a Stocking: Stockings provide critical support and enrichment for homeless children over the long winter break; many children will go days without their basic needs being met. Stockings are filled with crafts, games, toys, and healthy treats to give children the extra support they deserve. Sponsor a child’s stocking for $21, and a teen’s stocking for $31.
• Sponsor a Holiday Dinner: While meals may not come wrapped under the tree, it still has the power to bring a family together, and may become the best part of the season. Gift a meal so that a homeless family can enjoy a meal together this Christmas. Sponsorship options vary from $7–$65 per family.

Have a Eco-Conscious Christmas with the Puna Toy Exchange

Keep unused toys out of the landfill and give our old friends a new life at the Puna Toy Exchange. Bring by any clean, gently used toys, games, and books to Connection Point Church in HPP (15-1839 32nd Ave.) on Saturday, December 24, from 9 AM – 1 PM to exchange them for “new to you” gifts. If you only wish to donate, a drop-off is available at Pahoa Smoothie Shack (15-2891 Pahoa Village Rd.) until December 21.

Angels Need Gifts, Too: Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program

Everyone, young and old, rich or poor, should be able to experience the joys of Christmas. Find the Salvation Army’s Angel Trees all across the Island, tagged with wishes from angels — our community’s kūpuna and nā keiki. Pick up a tag at Wal-Mart, HomeStreet Bank, or USA Credit Union, shop for the present, and drop your gift off at an Angel Tree location. From there, the Salvation Army will ensure your gift finds its angel by Christmas!

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Thanks to everyone who is supporting their fellow neighbors by helping provide Big Island holiday assistance. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend the holidays with the ʻohana, check out these Hawaʻi Island holiday events.

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