Photo: CNW/David V. Kamba

Every year for 53 years, Catholic Charities’ annual Toy Shower has collected thousands of toys for children who otherwise might not get many Christmas presents.

But in recent years, the Toy Shower has expanded its focus, with an effort to provide help for families who need more than toys.

The Sponsor-A-Family program has grown from about 300 families last year to more than 500 this year, with businesses, organizations, parishes, families and even individuals making the effort to provide items the families need and items they want.

“The Toy Shower was always organized so that someone could participate by buying a $10 or a $15 toy and dropping it off,” said Kevin Richards, chairman of the 2000 Toy Shower Committee. “The commitment of sponsoring a family is a level up. It’s a much higher contribution level.”

Donations have started collecting for the 53rd annual Toy Shower Season, which runs through Dec. 15.

The families who will be sponsored have from one to 10 members, and sponsors are expected to spend about $50 on each member, Richards said.

“For a lot of these families, they’re lacking the bare necessities of life, such as clothing,” Richards said.

To help sponsors get an idea of who they are helping, each sponsor gets some background information besides the size of the family and the ages of its members.

According to Katie Brasfield of Catholic Charities, a typical background story might go something like this:

“Janice never imagined she would need help during the holiday season. Her memories of cheerful Christmas celebrations filled her with joy and peace. But after the devastating loss of her husband, she developed substance abuse problems and struggled to maintain a stable family life for herself and her children. Suddenly, not only were her three children experiencing their first Christmas without their father, it looked as if they would have few presents under the tree and threadbare winter coats.

“Janice turned to Catholic Charities for help with her substance abuse problem. She is now substance-free and working in a nearby food store. Although Janice became more confident and stable, she still could not fully meet her children’s needs, much less their Christmas wishes. So Janice’s social worker entered the family in Catholic Charities’ Sponsor-A-Family for Christmas program.

“Thanks to a local company, all three of Janice’s children received winter coats, scarves and mittens, in addition to the baby dolls, basketballs and board games they’d been dreaming about. For Janice, the sponsors provided new sheets, work clothing, sweet-smelling lotion and a sense of peace.”

Part of the reason for the growth in the Sponsor-A-Family Program can be attributed to corporations and businesses taking on the commitment.

But Richards said an even bigger area of growth is from among parishes, particularly on the Southwest Side and in the Southwest suburbs, where a dedicated core of volunteers has increased support. The number of families sponsored by a cluster of Southwest parishes rose to 200 this year, up from about 80 two years ago, he said.

Parishioners at St. John Fisher in Chicago; St. Linus in Oak Lawn; St. Bernadette, Most Holy Redeemer and Queen of Martyrs in Evergreen Park; St. John of the Cross in Western Springs; St. Michael in Orland Park; and St. Cletus in LaGrange all are contributing this year, Richards said.

“Sponsor-A-Family has really been included in more and more parishes as a parish function, and that’s what’s making it grow,” Richards said.

Of course, donors are still welcome to drop off new, unwrapped toys at Catholic Charities locations throughout the city and suburbs, as well as more than 40 InsureOne locations before Dec. 15.

This year, the agency expects to collect more than 20,000 toys for children who are clients or children of clients, and who might not otherwise get a really nice gift for Christmas this year.

Individuals and businesses who want to make a financial contribution also are welcome. Catholic Charities uses the money to buy toys that are not donated in large enough numbers—for example, most donors do not buy gifts intended for teenagers, or ethnic dolls, Brasfield said.

Some businesses find creative ways to donate, rather than just writing a check or asking employees to donate. At Joy of Ireland, an Irish gift store and tea room at 700 N. Michigan Ave., the money that guests would normally leave as tips for the waitstaff will be sent to Catholic Charities. Some will go to the Toy Shower, and some will go to the Spirit of St. Nicholas Ball, which raises money for Catholic Charities children’s programs, said Richard Kosmacher, who owns the store with Michael Joy.

The partners decided to pay the waitstaff a full wage and donate any tip money to charities, with the charities rotating every two months. The project gives the charities money and exposure, since customers are told where their money will be going, Kosmacher said. Overall, Catholic Charities can expect about $2,500 from Joy of Ireland customers.

Individuals who would like to donate cash can also do so by credit card through the Toy Shower web site, www.toyshower.org.

For more information on ways to donate, please call (312) 655-7174 or visit the web site.