Almost 30 years ago, Pam Sorenson read an article about a group working to bring Christmas magic to children in Snohomish County.
That organization was Christmas House, which back then opened in a downtown Everett storefront in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Families who otherwise wouldn’t be able to give their children presents came to shop, without charge. Thanks to their community’s generosity, parents took home toys they couldn’t afford to buy.
Pam and Steve Sorenson were soon devoting much of their time to Christmas House, which was founded in 1981.
“Twelve months out of the year, we went to garage sales. They didn’t have permanent storage, so she filled our garage and basement with toys,” said Steve Sorenson, 67, who lives in Everett.
Christmas House “was close to Pam’s heart,” he said. “She always stressed that it was shopping with dignity. Knowing she was helping kids and many single mothers, it was tremendous.”
Pam Sorenson died in 2013 at age 66. She had volunteered with Christmas House for decades, and served on its board of directors.
Today, that work continues. Thanks to hundreds of volunteers and people donating new gifts and money, Christmas House will again make the season special this year. In 2013, the charity provided more than 50,000 gifts to nearly 10,000 children from 3,000 families.
Now in the gym of the Boys &Girls Club in north Everett, Christmas House will open its doors Thursday for qualified parents and guardians to get gifts for babies, kids and teens up to age 18.
“There’s nothing more special than a child opening up a new gift on Christmas morning,” said Rick Kvangnes, president of the Christmas House board of directors. “The reason we do it year after year, there’s a tremendous need for low-income families to have Christmas joy.”
Kvangnes is general manager of Judd &Black, the Everett-based appliance business. He said gift donations will be accepted through the run of Christmas House. Among donation sites for new, unwrapped gifts are Les Schwab Tire Center stores all over Snohomish County, a toy chest at Everett Mall, SnoCope Credit Union and Peak Health &Fitness in Everett, and at the back entrance of Christmas House during its hours of operation.
Gifts for all ages are needed, but the big demand is for items suitable for older kids. “It’s the teens we struggle with the most for gifts,” said Kvangnes, adding that children are typically given five presents each.
He planned to be part of this weekend’s set-up crew, transforming the gym into a big toy shop.
“We always need volunteers,” said Mary Allred, an insurance agent who is also on the Christmas House board. A volunteer with the group for more than a decade, she normally works at Christmas House on Fridays and Saturdays during what for many is the busiest time of year.
Allred, who speaks Spanish, checks people in at the Christmas House door and acts as a translator. Clients, who must provide proof of income and their children’s ages, fill out forms showing the number of people in their families.
Kvangnes said about 900 volunteers keep Christmas House going. “Some are there year after year, but we also get new volunteers. A lot are high school students, and it’s wonderful to see that,” he said.
With his daughter and three grandchildren living with him now, Steve Sorenson still finds time to help Christmas House, mostly with deliveries. “For Pam, Christmas House was such a heartfelt thing. She was a godly lady. It was what she was supposed to do,” he said.
“It’s very rewarding. People who come to Christmas House are very appreciative. Most of those people are barely making ends meet,” Allred said.
Kvangnes said seeing smiles on the grown-ups’ faces brings volunteers back every year.
“It’s the appreciation in their eyes, knowing what’s going to happen on Christmas morning,” he said.
Julie Muhlstein: 425-339-3460; jmuhlstein@heraldnet.com.
Christmas House
Christmas House, a nonprofit group that provides qualifying low-income Snohomish County families with Christmas gifts for their children, is located in the Boys &Girls Club gym, 2316 12th St. in north Everett. Gifts are provided for infants through 18-year-olds. The “store” will be open Thursday through Dec. 20; closed Sundays and Mondays. Find out how to donate, volunteer or qualify for gifts by calling 425-338-2273 or online at: www.christmas-house.org
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