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Live United by Erin Haag

My husband asked me for a gift wish list. Every year, we try to build a pretty good list and the spouse is in charge of sharing it with other family members. It’s not always an easy task for us though, we’re both inherently practical people and the things that we tend to want are things that we really need to pick out for ourselves or are part of our every day lives. Socks are popular, along with replacing tools or other household items that have worn out or broken. For me, I have a hard time putting things on my list that aren’t for work. Often it would be fun things for work, like the super cute post-it note dispenser. Experience gifts aren’t always easy because we have two busy jobs and two busy kids in sports and activities. Plus, when we do have the time, sometimes we’re just so darn excited to be at home that’s the gift for us.

This is the time of year when my life is completely opposite of what I want to do. It’s the busy season for us — for All. The. Things. There are a thousand and one things I should be doing, even beyond the thousand and one things to do the rest of the year. All of this comes during a time when I want to be home. I want to be in my warm home, with my soft blankets and snuggly kitty who sometimes bites. There are books to read and children to snuggle. I want to putter around the house, creating gifts and baking up a storm. If I go somewhere, it’s to drink warm apple cider or hot chocolate and look at lights, or to shop at our local stores all decked out for the holiday with no mission in mind, just enjoying the sights, smells and sounds.

This past week, I’ve been working with our area human service providers about the Jingle program. The Jingle program is a direct referral only, which means that families aren’t signing up themselves. Instead, providers are thinking about who they already have on their caseload and identifying families that are struggling this year. It’s a program that’s meant to have different families each year, not designed as a consistent holiday resource. I dug into the details with someone recently and gave examples of what to look for. That’s my social worker hat, not necessarily the program coordinator hat. Sometimes we deal with generational poverty, or families that have been experiencing hardship for years. We all know families in those situations where cycles are perpetual. There are programs that exist for those families, but for Jingle in particular, it’s about finding families in the gap. The families that maybe have struggled but never utilized a program before. I challenge referring providers to ask themselves, “What’s different this year? Will they be in the same position next year? Will you be scrambling to find resources for them next year?” Sometimes the answer is “yes” and they’re still a good fit for the program. That’s OK, it’s not a deal breaker. It’s more about asking providers to be very intentional about who they refer to the Jingle program and taking the opportunity to think about who might be falling through the cracks.

This Thanksgiving weekend, I’m filled with gratitude that I have a list of donors waiting to adopt Jingle families. We have received just a few applications, and over the next week or two I expect to receive more. With Thanksgiving so close to Christmas this year, it’s going to be a challenge to get everything communicated and coordinated, but if there’s anything worth leaving my soft blankets and warm house for, it’s that. This year, we have a few seniors on the list to be adopted out. A hocky fan who would love to have a jack for his car so he can do his own maintenance. A woman who loves to decorate in shades of blues that could use new bedding. Parents of upper elementary and teenagers that are hopeful to receive the basics — trash bags and paper towels and clothing for those kids that don’t stop growing. The lists are incredibly short, mostly pretty practical and all very reasonable.

Alongside the Jingle program, the Winter Gear Drive is still happening. We’re working to get things filled, but we do have a need for children’s boots. Kids size 12 and 13 are on the list, along with a little girl’s size 4T coat. I spoke to a mom of teenage boys the other day, wearing men’s sizes. I look at my newly minted 10-year-old, and I know that in just a few short years he’s going to be a 15-year-old boy that’s taller than his mama. He’s already jumped shoe sizes, wearing a youth size six. I haven’t told him yet that a youth size six is the same as a men’s size six. We need coats in several different sizes and waterproof gloves.

This coming Tuesday is what’s known as Giving Tuesday. It’s a campaign that was started in 2012 to encourage people to take a break from the holiday shopping and Black Friday madness and focus on giving back to the communities. Giving Tuesday typically marks the End of the Year appeal, reminding community members of the impact happening. Alongside our internal programs, United Way also provides funding to different nonprofit programs each year. Funds raised from our campaign each year support those internal programs and support our nonprofits. Volunteer community members gather to review applications and decide where the funds are best allocated to. Our 2024 organizations include Food for Backpacks, SEMCAC’s Senior Nutrition, Albert Lea Early Learning program, STARS Mentoring and Life Center of Freeborn County. Food security, senior services, early childhood education, all inclusive social programming. That’s a wide variety of community needs that United Way is involved with. It’s not just about the financial giving. It’s about working alongside them to help boost them up. Sometimes it’s providing a consult, introducing leadership to others or providing space to carry out parts of their programming.

If you’d like to be a part of the impact, to ensure your dollars stay local, are invested in areas that have the greatest impact, I ask you to consider giving to United Way. Your donation will ensure the impact keeps on growing into 2025, creating meaningful changes for the lives of your neighbors. Donations may be made online at http://unitedwayfc.org or via check at PO Box 686, Albert Lea, MN 56007. We also have a dropbox that is right outside our door at 411 S. First Ave., Suite A, Albert Lea, in the old Streaters Building. Consider giving to United Way this Giving Tuesday, and being a part of the change.

Erin Haag is the executive director of the United Way of Freeborn County.