By Conrad Dudderar
Senior Staff Writer
A Yukon nonprofit is proving that sharing is caring by satisfying some yuletide hunger.
Distribution of Yukon Sharing’s traditional Christmas food baskets started Dec. 12 when recipients came to Yukon Sharing, 4 N 6th, to receive their nourishing holiday gift.
“All in all, it was a great day,” Yukon Sharing Director Missy King said. “It was very successful.
“We’re very grateful for all the donations. We have a great community. They are very generous and very caring.”
Yukon Sharing board members volunteered to distribute the stuffed Christmas baskets, and several members’ husbands helped with some heavy lifting.
Because of COVID-19, recipients didn’t even have to come inside the Yukon Sharing office to receive the groceries.
“It went much smoother than I anticipated,” King said of the recent distribution day. “They just got out of their cars to check in, then got back in their cars and we just did a drive-through. That made it real nice and safe.”
Each Christmas food basket contains a turkey or ham (with beans), stuffing, vegetables, potatoes, eggs, milk, butter, Jello, and cake mix.
These contents are enough for each recipient to prepare a large holiday dinner.
“They seemed very pleased,” King said. “Christmas decorations really went over well; we gave out pretty much all of those.”
Those Yukon Sharing clients unable to make it Dec. 12 will come to pick up their baskets before Christmas.
OFFERING A HAND UP
The annual Christmas food basket program is just part of what Yukon Sharing does to help people in need.
Founded in 1987, Yukon Sharing Ministries offers everyone who can benefit a hand up – not a handout.
Yukon Sharing provides clothing, food, household goods, and other necessary services to people who meet income guidelines. Recipients must live in the Yukon school district – 73099, 73085 and 73127 zip codes.
Filling 200 Christmas food baskets is no simple task, requiring help from Yukon Sharing supporters. A $30 gift is enough to sponsor one basket because local businesses paid for the meat.
“We’ve gotten so many donations from the public,” King said. “It didn’t cover all our cost, but it certainly made a big dent in it. So, it was awesome.”
Yukon Sharing’s director offered props to the Yukon Homeland store for providing the food.
“They worked hard to make sure we received everything we needed,” she noted.
King – who has been Yukon Sharing’s director since Aug. 1, 2019 – relies on volunteers, who are the lifeblood of the organization.
Board members are: President Becky Stevens, Vice President Pam Shelton, Treasurer Stacey Gaylord, Secretary Kayleigh Ferguson, Jim Poe, Scott Schuermann, D’Lynne McDaniel, Betty Corn, Tammy McKee, Christy Stanley, and State Rep. Rhonda Baker.
Regular hours at Yukon Sharing are noon to 4 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
Tax-deductible donations are always welcome. For more information, call 354-9456 or email yukonsharing@gmail.com
