Dominion Energy workers pitch in to help A Community Christmas of Stark County

CANTON − The Southeast Community Center was abuzz Wednesday with red-shirted volunteers readying boxes of clothing, food, toys, cleaning products and gifts.

For more 33 years, employees and retirees of Dominion Energy have played an integral part in helping A Community Christmas of Stark County by adopting local families for the holidays.

Tracy W. Stevens, external affairs manager at Dominion, said employees from Canton, Akron, North Canton and Cleveland look forward to the event, noting they adopted three families this year.

"People love this," she said. "It's Christmas. Folks know how blessed we are to have good jobs and to work for a company that encourages volunteerism."

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How A Community Christmas operates

Susan Hill, president of the A Community Christmas board of directors, said her organization received 550 applications this year, including requests from 300 seniors. More than 200 families were adopted. The remainder will be helped through another giveaway next week.

Hill said adopted families' requests are fulfilled by A Community Christmas volunteers, who go out and purchase the items.

"It's up a little from last year," she said. "Our big program is Adopt-A-Family, but next week we'll be at the Stark County Fairgrounds for distribution to those people who didn't get adopted. We help everybody, so long as they've applied."

Next week, remaining recipients will be given food vouchers ($20 per family member), hats and gloves, stocking stuffers, stuffed animals and other gifts. Every senior will receive a voucher.

"Last year, we instituted a new program," Hill said. "Before, our clients would come in and shop for themselves. So last year, we instituted a drive-thru at the fairgrounds. So we have their shopping list, which tells us what they like, and then we have our shoppers go around to each table and pick off what they can on their list. And then they get all the taxable items."

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the nonprofit distributing food vouchers and gift cards to reduce risk.

Hill said A Community Christmas is the only such local organization that assists teenagers, including 19-year-olds who are students, with gift cards donated by Aultman Hospital, one of their biggest supporters. Last year, 276 were gifted.

Local companies, volunteers make the effort possible

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Board Vice President Chuck Gray said companies and organizations support A Community Christmas because recipients are vetted to ensure they aren't registered at more than one place.

Gray noted that despite the economy, donations are up this year.

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Last year, the charity distributed $43,168 in food vouchers, 12,250 items, and 10,830 books, toys and bicycles to more than 442 families, plus 221 seniors and disabled adults. They raised more than $55,500 in donations from 178 companies and individuals, including $19,300 in grants, along with $750 in food vouchers from the Fishers Foods Civic Fund.

A Community Christmas has one part-time, seasonal employee. The rest of the work is done by volunteers.

In 2021, 266 people donated 2,482 volunteer hours.

"It's a working board; everyone does something," Hill said.

Hill said A Community Christmas was started in 1959 "by a couple of church ladies who decided they needed to help some people in the community."

"We're proud of our longevity," she said. "We have a lot of people and organizations that support us annually. And we have a whole lot of fun."

To learn more, visit www.acommunitychristmas.org or call 330-454-3841.