One VOICE (Valley Organizations in Collective Effort) is launching a coat drive as a prelude to a December holiday fair for families in need in the Snoqualmie Valley.
The holiday fair will run Thursday and Friday, Dec. 15 and 16, 2011, at the Church of Latter-day Saints at 527 SW Mount Si Blvd., North Bend, and includes distribution of coats along with other necessary items and gifts to keep families in need warm and happy during the holiday season.
Donations of new or gently used winter coats – for people of all ages – can be made to six local financial institutions in Snoqualmie and North Bend: Bank of America, Chase, Key Bank, Opus Bank, Sno Falls Credit Union (all branches) or Sterling Savings Bank. Collection boxes will be provided during open bank hours from Monday, Nov. 14, through Tuesday, Dec. 13.
Families in need can sign up beginning Wednesday, Nov. 16 to attend the fair—either by contacting the Mt. Si Helping Hand Food Bank during its Wednesday hours (9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.) or at Encompass Downtown North Bend at 209 Main Ave. S., North Bend the rest of the week.
The One VOICE Holiday Fair is the first ever “one-stop” opportunity for Snoqualmie Valley families in need to acquire items they need for a meaningful holiday season. The event includes the Kiwanis Giving Tree and Encompass Respectful Giving. Also available will be gift cards, dessert baskets, personal toiletries, gently used clothing, laundry soap, toilet paper and diapers and wipes.
“One VOICE was successful in coordinating the distribution of a range of items for families in need in June with the Snoqualmie Valley Resource Fair,” said Stacey Cepeda, community activities manager for Encompass, a One VOICE organization. “We are excited to follow up on that success with this holiday event, which is made possible only through the efforts of many local organizations, businesses and schools.”
One VOICE was formed one year ago to coordinate opportunities to serve families in need and allow them to discover resources available to them in the Snoqualmie Valley. One VOICE includes more than 40 businesses, healthcare professionals, social-service programs, schools, churches, local governments and community organizations.
For more information, call Stacey Cepeda at 425-888-2777 or e-mail stacey.cepeda@encompassnw.org, or visit the One VOICE web page at www.encompass.org.
