This holiday season, we want to encourage our patrons, customers, and community to give back in a way that works for them. Here are some ideas and organizations where you can donate your time, money, gifts, or food to help people in need in Olivia, Renville, Danube, Redwood Falls and surrounding areas.
Giving Back in Renville & Redwood Counties this Christmas Season
Local Food Shelves – Both the Redwood and Renville County Food shelves are great places to donate non-perishable food items or cash. The Redwood Falls Cenex C-Store also has a bucket in-store where you can drop off your food items for the Redwood County Food Shelf.
Santa’s Closet – Santa’s Closet of Renville County runs until December 18th and is located in the Danube school. Drop-off locations for new, unwrapped toys and Christmas decorations include all the banks in Renville County, Masters Coffee Shop in Olivia, and Cross of Calvary Church in Olivia. Families in need of Christmas gift help this season can fill out an application with Santa’s closet. For more information, contact Nancy Hague at 320-905-7925.
House of Hope In Olivia – Olivia’s House of Hope provides compassionate Christian services and housing to women in need in Renville County. They are accepting donations for women’s Christmas gifts. They are also in need of toiletries and personal items. To donate, contact Janine Kramer at 320-523-1782 or 320-979-5542.
Christian Community Outreach Center (CCOC) – CCOC in Olivia is encouraging kids to bring in toys and games in good condition that they don’t use anymore. They will either keep them at CCOC or give them to families who are less fortunate. They have also collected winter gear for kids in need. CCOC and many volunteers also put together a free-will donation Christmas Day Dinner from 11am-1pm at the CCOC at 815 E Lincoln Ave. in Olivia. The community is welcome to help by donating items for the dinner or volunteering their time to help prepare or serve the dinner. For more information, contact Carlotta at 320-523-5061 or 320-905-8690.
Sponsor a Local Family: There are many local families in the area that could use some extra help (many times just basic necessities) during the holidays. If you are looking to help a local family, there are several places you could contact, such as your local County Social Services Department, Christian Community Outreach Center, Olivia’s House of Hope, or even your local church. This is a great way to make an impact and can also be done anonymously.
“Our family sponsors three families for Christmas, instead of giving gifts to each other. We go through Carlotta at the CCOC and she lines up families that are in need for us to sponsor and lets us know what they need. We’ve been doing this for about 5 years. It’s much more gratifying than buying gifts for each other, when we really don’t have a need.”
– Bird Island Resident
Redwood County Share the Spirit – The mission of Redwood Share the Spirit is to help provide the overall basic essential needs of toys, food, winter wear and blankets to families in need in Redwood County. Share the Spirit is in its 40th year and helped 235 families last year. Community members and businesses can help with financial donations, new toys, sponsors, blankets, or volunteers. Call 507-430-5229 or email [email protected] if you would like to volunteer.
We hope that you are able to find a way to give back locally with one of these ideas or in another way. From all of us at Farmers Co-op Oil Company, wishing you a happy and safe Christmas season!