News Archive

Christmas House Receives Financial Support

August 2007

Christmas House receives generous donations from a number of local companies year after year. This loyal financial support allows us to effectively carry out our mission to provide low-income Snohomish County families with Christmas gifts to brighten their children's holidays. The Board of Directors thanks the following companies for their 2007 donations and continuous support: Everett Clinic Foundation (6 years), Cascade Bank (5 years), EverTrust Foundation (5 years), and Windermere Foundation (4 years).

Judd & Black Supports Christmas House for a Seventh Year

August 2007

This is the 7th consecutive year Judd & Black has made a financial contribution to Christmas House. Judd & Black also contributes warehouse space, trucks for move-in and other valuable services to Christmas House. The Board of Directors thanks Judd & Black for its loyal support over the years.

Charity Makes Every Dollar Count

December 13, 2006 - Everett Herald

Christmas House, a holiday charity that operates in Everett, opened its doors Friday for the 26th season. It will give toys to hundreds of poor families until Dec. 23. The charity has given back an average of 99 cents for every dollar it raised during the past five years, according to state records. "To put smiles on children's faces on Christmas morning and to know that we're doing that is truly wonderful," said Rick Kvangnes, president of Christmas House. See complete article in the Everett Herald, by David Chircop (Page 1) (Page 2)

Christmas in July Motorcycle Ride

July 26, 2006

A record 106 motorcyclists enjoyed the summer heat and raised $1,565 for Christmas House. The "Christmas in July" ride from Smokey Point to Everett was sponsored by the Gold Wing Touring Association Chapter C Evergreen Wings, who has supported Christmas House over the last four years. Many members of the motorcycle club also donate time each December helping while the Christmas House "store" is open.

Wheels for Kids Update

April 24, 2006

The Wheels for Kids program will have a few improvements for 2006. We have worked with local merchants and will be using gift certificates to provide pre-paid wagons, trikes and bikes to our shoppers. Shoppers that select a gift certificate as a large gift will be able to redeem it for a fully assembled wagon, trike or bike. Using gift certificates reduces our storage and transportation requirements and allows us to increase the number of wheeled gifts to be distributed this year.

Storage Space

April 24, 2006

Christmas House volunteers are busy all throughout the year receiving donated gifts and purchasing gifts with donated funds. Storage space for these thousands of gifts are donated in multiple locations around Snohomish County. The YMCA and Harve Jubie have joined Shurgard Storage, Sea-Dog Corporation, Judd & Black, and Charlotte Wood in supplying storage areas for the 2006 merchandise. These generous donations of space enable Christmas House to shop for lower prices, stretch each dollar further, and establish a more accurate inventory of what items are still needed. Having yearround space to store gifts ultimately allows a larger number of shoppers to be served and be offered a wider selection of gifts.

Pacific Power Batteries donates batteries for childrens toys at Christmas House 2005

November 1, 2005

This year, batteries WILL BE included with the toys and electronics that are donated to Christmas House, thanks to donations from Pacific Power Batteries. The donations include 4300 AA, 2,800 AAA, 1,500 C and 400 9V batteries. Pacific Power Batteries, a local, family-owned business since 1985 has 4 stores in the area: Everett, Marysville, Monroe, and Burlington. "Lighting up Christmas for 8000 kids is the right thing to do!" says the management of the business.

Community Member Donates Much Needed Warehouse Space

October 18, 2005

Gary Petersen answered one of our pleas for temporary warehouse space. Because of his generous donation of 2 large rooms in one of his buildings, we are able to continue our "Wheels for Kids" campaign. The directors of Christmas House estimate they will have over 600 bikes to give away during Christmas House 2005. Mr. Petersen's generosity isn't new to Christmas House. In 1992 , he donated the building for Christmas House 1992.

Christmas House Earns "Best in America" Seal by Independent Charities of America

July 22, 2005

Christmas House, a non-profit organization that provides gifts to low-income families and children throughout Snohomish County, was recently awarded the Best in America seal by the National Council of Non-Profit Associations.

Of the 50,000 plus charities participating in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), Christmas House was one of only 1,500 Independent Charities of America members nationwide to earn this honor.

With so many competing choices, many workplace donors look for aids to help make their giving decisions. This third party seal of approval signifies that Christmas House is a trusted, timetested community charity worthy of support. More than ninety-seven cents of every dollar donated to Christmas House goes directly toward purchasing gifts for children and their families.

judd & black golf tournament benefits Christmas House And North Everett Boys & Girls Club

MARYSVILLE - Cory Long of judd & black presented a $10,000 check to Christmas House board members and a $2,000 check to the North Everett Boys & Girls Club at the conclusion of the company's annual charity golf tournament at Battle Creek Golf Course.

Christmas House began "Kids Coats" Program in 2004

Due in part to the huge demand for its services during Christmas House 2003, donations of used coats fell short and approximately 1,500 children did not receive a warm winter coat that year.

Determined not to allow this to happen again, a new program to raise funds for "Kids Coats" was started. Coastal Community Bank initiated the program with a donation of $1,000. Cooper-Levy Trust, Northwest Packer Backers and MoneyTree, Inc. quickly followed suit. More donations came in from Evertrust Foundation, Tulalip Tribes, Everett Clinic, Fluke and the CVP Womens group.

Shopping the sales, volunteers purchased hundreds of warm winter coats at an average price of $10 -$12. As a result, over 2,500 children received new coats for Christmas in 2004. Used coats were also available in 2004 for children who did not receive a new one. This program continues in 2005.

"Wheels for Kids," sponsored by CityBank, began in 2002

Thanks to a generous donation from CityBank, Christmas House developed its "Wheels for Kids" program in 2002. Over 135 children received brand new bicycles, tricycles and wagons that year. CityBank and its employees sponsored the program again in 2003 (funds purchasing 225 bikes/trikes/wagons) and in 2004 (funds purchasing 340 bikes/trikes/wagons). The program continues on in 2005.

Each bicycle and tricycle gift included an age appropriate helmet. Helmets given away during Christmas House 2003 were provided by Everett Medic One Foundation, Snohomish County SAFE KIDS and North Region EMS and Trauma Care Council. In 2004 helmets were provided again via a partnership of all three of these organizations.

Everett Silvertips Partnered with Christmas House in 2003 for the first annual Teddy Bear Toss

The Everett Silvertips Hockey organization partnered with Christmas House in 2003 to hold its first "Teddy Bear Toss." Major funding to purchase over 8,000 teddy bears and stuffed animals for the event was provided by the Everett Silvertips along with Judd & Black, E & E Lumber, K & H Printers, and the Everett Firefighters Association. Fans were also invited to bring stuffed animals to donate. The stuffed animals were distributed to children through Christmas House.

In 2004 The Silvertips sponsored a Toque Toss. The fans brought a toy or made a donation to receive a toque to toss onto the ice. Thanks to the Silvertips and their fans over a thousand warm stocking hats were available for the children at Christmas House.

Sharing Wheels Provided Bikes for Christmas House 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Throughout the year, volunteer members of Sharing Wheels repair and maintain donated used bikes.

In 2003 they donated 50 refurbished bikes to Christmas House; in 2004 it was increased to 120 bikes, and they are continuing their donations and services for the 2005 season. In 2004 the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Dept. also began donating unclaimed bikes to Christmas House, which were rehabilitated by Sharing Wheels. In 2004 they donated over 40 bikes.

For more information on the non-profit organization Sharing Wheels, please call 425-252-6952 or visit them on-line at www.sharingwheels.org.

Sea-Dog Corporation Donates store and warehouse space.

Answering a call for help in the Snohomish Business Journal, Sea-Dog Corporation offered space in 2000 for Christmas House to open their store. Thanks to their help Christmas House 2000 and 2001 had a place to operate. In addition to store space, Sea-Dog has also donated over 5000 square feet of warehouse space for the past 5 years. In order for Christmas House to stretch the dollar as far as possible a team shops sales year round, hence the need for such a large space.

Christmas House Began 5-year partnership with Everett Boys & Girls Club.

In 2003, Christmas House was very happy to announce that the location of the Christmas House store for the next five years will be in the north Everett Boys and Girls Club gymnasium (2316-12th Street). In addition to the very gracious donation of their gymnasium, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Snohomish County also provided a membership gift certificate to each Christmas House child aged 6-18.

Judd & Black Raises Money for Christmas House

Judd and Black hosts an Annual Golf Tournament donating proceeds to Christmas House. Each year the tournament continues to grow in both enthusiasm and participants! Since they began in 2002, Judd and Black and their sponsors have donated a total of $33,000.00.

Christmas House toys require thousands of batteries

The goal of Christmas House is to provide every battery operated gift received from Christmas House with a set of batteries, allowing the presents to be used by each child on Christmas morning. In 2003 Christmas House received over 2,000 new batteries from Panasonic Company, thus launching the "Powered by Panasonic" program. Christmas House also received over 16,000 AA batteries from Photoworks, Inc. in 2003 and over 1000 AA batteries from Crown Photo in Everett. The slightly used batteries came from reprocessed disposable cameras. In 2004, the "powered by Panasonic" program continued as well as more donations from Photoworks and Crown Photo.

The Herald donates much needed advertising space

Through the years the Herald has continued to support Christmas House by donating space for

advertising. With this space Christmas House is able to get information to thousands of community members. This allows us to list donation sites, let the community know what gifts are needed and to list the hours of operation to name a few. This donation helps us keep our operating expenses below 5%.

Christmas House - P.O. Box 717, Everett, WA 98206 - 425-338-2273