(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Santa, played by Merlin Taylor, pitches in as he joins a team of volunteers with the Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program at a workshop in South Salt Lake on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. In its 10th year, the program works with social workers throughout 60 schools in the district to help low income families struggling through the holidays as Santa helped fill a social workers car bound for two schools in the district.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Jen Wunderli, left, and Ann Jensen assemble Christmas care packages for those in need as part of the Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program created in 2009. Working with social workers who know each of the students individually in the lowest of income families across 60 schools in the Granite district, volunteers expect to fill over 3000 sacks.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A team of volunteers with the Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program get a boost from Santa, played by Merlin Taylor, as they help bring some holiday magic to children in need. Working with social workers in the district the team is expected to assemble more than 3000 sacks with blankets, books, toys, socks, hats, toothbrushes and school supplies for the younger children or earbuds and gift cards for other students.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Oliver Sanderson, 3, is greeted by Santa played by Merlin Taylor as they stop in to the Granite Education Foundation Santa Sacks workshop in South Salt Lake on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. Sanderson's aunt is one of the social workers who helps identify those families in need as they filled a couple vehicles with sacks bound schools in the district.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Brent Severe, CEO of the Granite Education Foundation helps with orders as part of the Santa Sacks program that helps bring some holiday magic to those in need. Started in 2009 the program was expecting to fill over 3000 sacks with blankets, books, socks, hats, toothbrushes, school supplies and toys.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granite school district Social worker Victoria Olson fills her car with orders bound for low income children as part of the Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program. A team of volunteers has been busy filling orders, helping bring some magic of the holidays to children across 60 schools in the district.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A volunteer with the Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program fills an order destined to help a child in need with blankets, books, socks, hats, toothbrushes, school supplies and toys as part of a program that was started ten years ago. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019, volunteers gathered in South Salt Lake at a workshop to fill orders chosen by social workers who know each of the students in need.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sandra Clayson assembles Christmas care packages for those in need as part of the Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program created in 2009. Working with social workers who know each of the students individually in the lowest of income families across 60 schools in the Granite district, volunteers expect to fill over 3000 sacks.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Santa, played by Merlin Taylor, pitches in as he joins a team of volunteers with the Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program at a workshop in South Salt Lake on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. In its 10th year, the program works with social workers throughout 60 schools in the district to help low income families struggling through the holidays.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Candy Michaels helps fill the car of Granite school district Social worker Victoria Olson with orders bound for low income children as part of the Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program. A team of volunteers has been busy filling orders, helping bring some magic of the holidays to children across 60 schools in the district.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Candy Michaels poses for a photograph with Santa played by Merlin Taylor as a team of volunteers assembles holiday packages for low income families on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2019. The Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program, started in 2009, is expected to help over 3000 students across 60 schools in the district.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A team of volunteers with the Granite Education Foundation's Santa Sacks program help bring some holiday magic to children in need. Working with social workers in the district the team is expected to assemble more than 3000 sacks with blankets, books, toys, socks, hats, toothbrushes and school supplies for the younger children or earbuds and gift cards for other students.
As children write their lists to Santa and listen to their friends talk at school about all the gifts under the Christmas tree, there are families with meager budgets struggling to meet basic needs.
“The holiday season is very overwhelming for the lowest income families in our district struggling week to week,” said Brent Severe, CEO of Granite Education Foundation.
For 10 years now, the Santa Sacks program has helped restore some of the magic of the holidays for children in 60 schools in the Granite District by assembling sacks filled with blankets, books, socks, hats, toothbrushes, toothpaste, school supplies and toys for children. In the program’s first year they filled 300 sacks and this year they expect to fill over 3,000. With the help of social workers who know the needs of the low income child they serve, the team of volunteers loaded their cars to deliver the holiday surprise.
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