Small Steps looks for a crew of volunteers
As the autumn chill slowly creeps into San Benito County, the
simple comfort of warm jackets and well-fitting shoes becomes even
more important for local children.
For more than a decade, the nonprofit organization Small Steps
has paired volunteers with needy children in an annual effort to
provide comfort for needy youngsters from kindergarten through
eighth grade.
Small Steps looks for a crew of volunteers
As the autumn chill slowly creeps into San Benito County, the simple comfort of warm jackets and well-fitting shoes becomes even more important for local children.
For more than a decade, the nonprofit organization Small Steps has paired volunteers with needy children in an annual effort to provide comfort for needy youngsters from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Organizers hope to help 375 children this year, some of whom don’t have the luxury of picking out new clothing to buy. Up to 400 volunteers are needed to help organize the Nov. 8 event, including chaperoning the children as they pick out winter clothes at Target and Payless Shoe Source in Hollister.
From Bitterwater-Tully in the south to Spring Grove in the north, teachers from around the county nominate students whom they know would benefit from a donation of warm clothing. Siblings of the nominated students also get to participate in the shopping trip.
“We just want to help underprivileged children,” said Katie Hubbell, a Small Steps volunteer for the past three years. “It makes them a little happier and it makes things a little easier for their parents.”
Target and Payless open their doors at 6:45 a.m. on the day of the event and each child is allowed to purchase $100 worth of warm winter clothing, which must include a jacket and shoes. The stores give a 10 percent discount and are joined by numerous local businesses to aid the volunteer effort.
Hubbell said the little girl whom she accompanied last year “was adorable. She was afraid to say what she wanted but she was very grateful.”
Parents of the participating children stay in a waiting area and are served breakfast by volunteers during the shopping excursion, which takes about an hour to complete.
“Some parents are a little hesitant at first, but they very much enjoy seeing their kids’ faces” when they come back with new clothing items, Hubbell said, noting that all volunteers are 18 or older and will have their name checked against the Megan’s Law list. Volunteers are fingerprinted and must show their driver’s license on the day of the event as well.
The struggling economy is a concern for Small Steps organizers, who raise their money for each year’s event one year ahead of time. The $37,500 for this year’s shopping trip was garnered from donations from individuals and businesses, such as Intero Real Estate, which donated $10,000 through its Intero Foundation.
“Donations keep us alive and running,” said longtime volunteer Mary Hubbell, Katie Hubbell’s aunt. “Target and Payless give us the discounts; Java Express gives us coffee for the parents and McDonald’s gives all the kids Egg McMuffins.”
Raley’s/Nob Hill provides juice and every child participating in the shopping spree receives a backpack full of items donated from local businesses. Local firefighters and police officers attend the event and Presidential Security will be on hand as well.
“We’re short this year for next year’s fundraising compared to what we’ve had in the past,” Mary Hubbell said, though she noted that the success and scope of the annual effort has prompted some people to make memorial donations to Small Steps.
To stretch the monetary donations further, organizers have limited the shopping spree to kindergarten through eighth-grade students, whereas in previous years pre-kindergarten children were eligible for the program. If donations rebound, the group plans to reopen the program to pre-kindergarteners.
Volunteer Cheryl Teed said she gets a “wonderful feeling” helping underprivileged children and their families through Small Steps. “Every child has been appreciative and delighted. It’s like Christmas.”
After the children pick out their coat and a new pair of shoes, they are allowed to spend the remainder of their $100 buying pants, shirts, socks or perhaps gloves and a hat to combat the winter chill.
“It’s a great opportunity to be able to help children who need warm clothes and new shoes and interact with those kids on a personal level,” Teed said. “It just takes a couple hours of your time but you feel like you know the kids when you’re done.”
Volunteer Nikole DeMorales has been helping out for five years because she said she enjoys making a difference in her community.
“It’s exciting because the kids get excited” as they pick out new clothes, she said. “For me, I’m very fortunate and there are so many other people who are not. It’s very helpful to everybody.”
Potential volunteers for this year’s shopping trip may apply to aid the Small Steps effort through Friday, Oct. 24 by calling Katie Hubbell at 638-2111. Tax-deductible contributions can be made to Small Steps, P.O. Box 2137 in Hollister.
