It’s that wonderful time of the year—holiday gatherings of family, friends and feasting—yet there are some families in our Central Coast communities that are unable to provide food not to mention Christmas gifts. That’s where the 15th annual Santa Ynez Valley Christmas Basket program steps in—this year is providing 156 local needy families in the Santa Ynez Valley with hampers of food, staples, toiletries as well as hand-selected gifts.
The Christmas Basket Program is organized by volunteers from Old Mission Santa Ines, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Mark’s-in-the-Valley Episcopal Church and Santa Ynez Valley Presbyterian Church along with support from hundreds of individuals and over 30 local businesses, churches and organizations. It’s all happening next week in the parish hall at Old Mission Santa Ines in Solvang—with hundreds of volunteers and school children coming together to fill the hampers and baskets that will be distributed to needy families on December 18th. Come along and join correspondent, Tom Wilmer reporting form the Old Santa Ines Mission in Solvang where he visits with coordinators of the Christmas Basket Program, Genevieve Geyser and Pat Fallin.
