Target, United Way team up to deliver Christmas trees

What does a Christmas tree mean to you? Does it hold precious handmade ornaments from children and grandchildren? Does it bring back memories of family gathered around it, laughing and opening presents?

This holiday season Target and the United Way of Yuma County are helping to give local needy families a chance to start their own Christmas tree traditions. Through Target's "Share a Tree" program, families will be given artificially decorated holiday trees. Target has donated these holiday trees for 17 years, and they plan to continue this program as long as it is needed.

Shane Hughes is the store team leader for Target, and says that the program is “a good way to give back to the communit…. (The trees) complete the whole holiday season.”

Jan Davis works in finance and administration for the United Way of Yuma County. She has been a part of this program for 10 years and believes that the trees will greatly benefit needy families.

"It's going to give them quite a uplift. That extra little bit of cheer, (knowing) that people actually want to help those that need extra help."

Target receives three holiday trees right after Halloween. The trees are decorated by Target employees, and are put on display for customers to see. A few days before Christmas, the trees are loaded onto a United Way truck and distributed to a local nonprofit agency. This year, the trees are being given to Habitat for Humanity, which in turn will deliver and display the trees to newly built houses.

Debra Hunter is the business manager for Habitat for Humanity. She knows first hand how these trees affect the families who receive them. She believes that these trees represent the concept of family to those that are struggling to find a home.

For more information on the Share a Tree program, call Jan Davis at United Way of Yuma County at 783-0515 or Debra Hunter of Habitat for Humanity at 783-3393.