Christmas with a Cause was originally a Christmas dinner for men and women in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. This program paved the way for Arizona Hygiene for Hope. The holidays are the number one time of year for stress and anxiety, eventually leading to relapse and/or possibly suicide. Our first dinner was planned for 306 residents and we ended serving just over 900 meals. Homeless from off the street showed up, and from there, our mission was born.
We now work with multiple rehabilitation centers, half-way houses, sober living facilities, teen pregnancy agencies, young adults who have aged out of the foster system (18-21 years old), as well as the homeless in the greater Phoenix area. We also serve individuals and families who live well below the poverty level. Additionally, we accept referrals from churches, local fire departments and police stations.
Christmas with a Cause is now a full-fledged Christmas Extravaganza that you must see to believe! We now serve just over 10,000 individuals at each program, and we are only growing! Many of us know someone who has shown up to Christmas with nothing to give. The shame and despair on their face tells a tale of regret and failure. Christmas with a Cause corrects this pain, giving self-esteem that’s created by being able to give a gift: with no shame of asking a family member to pay for the gift, no sadness at being empty handed, all that shame and pain is washed away by the generosity of our donors.
We supply gifts for parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses and children. If they have a child who lives out of state, we also do the packing and pay for the shipping of the gifts. Christmas with a Cause is set up like a Shopping Mall with 30 – 40 stores. When the families and individuals arrive, they receive a credit card, and step through a doorway into a shopping extravaganza. Music fills the air and the joy of shopping for free creates excitement everyone. We can’t really explain Christmas with a Cause you have to Experience it!