Austin, TX

It’s at this time of year when we stop to give thanks for all we have and how very lucky we are to be warm and safe and have a roof over our heads that feel the need to give a little something back to those less fortunate.

There are many ways in which we can do just that but I personally think there are few quite as rewarding as reaching out directly to another family in your own backyard.

The Christmas Bureau works as intermediaries to hook you up with families who need your help. Here is how you can sponsor a family in need:

SPONSOR A FAMILY: Sponsoring a family means providing a suitable uncooked holiday meal and toys for the children. We ask for you to contact the family within 24-48 hours and share with them the date and time you plan on delivering during the week before Christmas. You can sponsor a family three ways:

1. Visit our office at 7301 Burnet Road #105 (Burnet Rd/Greenlawn Pkwy. Tuesday Morning is the anchor tenant) and select a family;
2. Call our office at 453-3950 and a volunteer will select a family for you; or
3. Register as a sponsor online! Any individual or group interested in sponsoring a family will be able to register themselves as a sponsor, and search through the families still needing sponsors by zip code, family size, language spoken, or a combination of the three. (Note: you won’t see the list of families in need until you’ve registered.)

Once you have decided on a family or families to sponsor, call them at 453-3950 with the family number(s), and they will immediately assign you as the sponsor for those families. At that time, you can click on “Families I’m Sponsoring” to see the detailed contact information in order to arrange for delivery of the food and gifts.

A few more ways you can help out The Christmas Bureau:

ANSWER TELEPHONE CALLS: The Bureau will receive many calls from people wanting to sponsor a family. You can assist in answering their basic questions and match them with a family in need.

FILE APPLICATIONS: You can assist in filing the application numerically and alphabetically at our office.

>>>>>Page 2, click here for more volunteer opportunities for 2008