1 / 2

United Way of Utah County's Sub for Santa plus program helps local residents help those in need beyond the Christmas season.

Courtesy United Way of Utah County

2 / 2

Bill Hulterstrom, president and CEO of United Way of Utah County

❮ ❯

For me, the holiday season is synonymous with Sub for Santa season. After 43 years of watching our community come together to provide Christmas to families throughout Utah County, the countdown to Christmas has become a special time to give back, reach out to our neighbors and find ways to serve together.

Every year, I am amazed as volunteers devote their time to sorting and delivering gifts and our neighbors sponsor families and Angel Trees. Last year for Sub for Santa, we had an incredible 1,912 volunteers and 1,346 sponsors who gave their time and resources.

Service that builds connection

This year, as I have watched volunteers sort and deliver gifts, I noticed something remarkable happening: they weren’t just serving families in need, they were building relationships with each other and the families they were serving. Volunteers who might never have met were working side by side, creating bonds that extended beyond a single day of service.

Programs like Sub for Santa do more than meet immediate needs; they create opportunities for us to grow closer to each other and strengthen the fabric of our community.

One of our new Sub for Santa volunteers, Abby Hale, shared why she chose to volunteer: “There are lots of good people to interact with that I don’t get to because I’m a student. It’s nice to meet people in my city I wouldn’t otherwise interact with.” For the past year and a half, Abby has also volunteered as a teacher in our Digital Literacy program, where she teaches classes in Spanish. Through her service, she’s building relationships with community members while helping them gain essential skills and resources.

Providing for needs beyond Christmas

Even as we celebrate the generosity of our community, I also see the great need that still exists. In 2024, we served 7,027 children and 2,591 families plus several hundred Golden Angels. This year, we are anticipating helping a total of 7,549 individuals, including 2,611 families and 7,054 kids and several hundred Golden Angels once again. In fact, we are still in need of 329 sponsors. We haven’t seen numbers this high since the Great Recession.

As Utah County continues to grow, so does the need in our community, and that need extends beyond the Sub for Santa season. All year long there are individuals and families who could benefit from a little extra support, not just with basic needs but also with meaningful human connections. Sadly, in our latest community assessment, we found that a quarter of Utah County residents feel isolated from others often, and nearly 60% report missing regular connection with others.

So, as I reflect on this season and the amazing things we’ve been able to accomplish together, I wonder: how do we take this other-oriented attitude we see during the holiday season and extend it throughout the rest of the year? How do we make Christmas care last beyond Christmas?

Support that lasts all year

At United Way, we’ve learned that the most meaningful support doesn’t end with a single interaction. That’s why we use Sub for Santa as an opportunity to connect families to other resources and programs available year-round. With each application, we inform families about our 2-1-1 service, our community center programs and our VITA program that provides free tax assistance.

Community members can also donate to Sub for Santa plus, which provides additional resources and basic needs for families year-round. Through Sub for Santa plus, you can donate directly to specific programs like food assistance, parenting classes, medical and dental care, providing books to children, therapy and housing and utility help. With Sub for Santa plus, there is even an opportunity for donors to give up to a year of support for a child or family of four, truly carrying the spirit of the holidays throughout the year.

While all of these many programs support families in Utah County, they also aim to deliver something even more: a connection to the community and the people around us. When volunteers come together to serve, they build relationships with each other and with the people they serve. When community members participate in our programs, they connect with others and develop a stronger sense of belonging. These connections are ultimately what transform a community from a collection of individuals into a network of neighbors who care for each other.

As we celebrate Christmas and head into the new year, let’s continue to connect. Just as we share neighborhood gifts during the holiday season, let’s find thoughtful ways to reach out to our neighbors the whole year round and give back.

If we extend the love and generosity we practice during Christmas time throughout the year, imagine what we could accomplish together. We could help families and individuals feel less isolated. We could share our talents and gifts to bring others together. We could strengthen our neighborhoods and our community in ways that have lasting impact for years to come.

To learn more about how you can get involved, donate and carry out Christmas care throughout the rest of the year, please visit unitedwayuc.org or unitedwayuc.org/get-involved/sub-for-santa-plus.

Bill Hulterstrom is president and CEO of United Way of Utah County.