Hickory – The Catawba County Christmas Bureau is scheduled for Dec. 16 and 17 and will be held at the American Legion Fairgrounds in Newton.

This collaborative effort is focused on letting local families in need know they are not alone. The Bureau pools its resources to provide toys, clothing and coats to children and teenagers during the Christmas season.

Last year the Bureau helped 500 families and 1,185 individual children. This year the impact is again significant with 570 families and more than 1,500 children registered.

Another part of the Christmas Bureau is the Catawba County United Way Teen Christmas. This program provides clothing and gifts to hundreds of teens, ages 13-18, from low income families who have completed a need-based application process and qualified to receive Catawba County Christmas Bureau assistance.

Donations are still needed!

The Salvation Army of Hickory is one of the agencies collecting items directly, using the Angel Trees. They can be found at all the area Walmart Super Stores and in Valley Hills Mall.

The Angel cards are available as well any time at The Salvation Army’s administration office – 750 Third Avenue Place SE in Hickory off Lenoir Rhyne Boulevard – and there are stockings available at the office to pick up, fill and bring back.

Along with the toys and clothing, The Salvation Army also sponsors a Coat Drive for the Christmas Bureau.

The cleaners they use as drop-off points for the Coats for Kids drive are:
A Cleaner World – 1009 2nd St. NE in Hickory.
Highland Cleaning Center – 1031 16th St. NE in Hickory.
Kelley’s Village Cleaners – 232 S. Main Ave. in Newton
Professional Cleaners – 133 3rd St. NW in Hickory.
Quality Cleaners & Laundry – 2643 NC-127 in Hickory,
Wyke’s Cleaners – 1413 2nd St. NE in Hickory.
Wyke’s Cleaners – Hwy 127 S in Hickory.
Modern Cleaners – 113 E B St. in Newton,
CV Cleaners – 508-1 10th St. NW in Conover.

There are drop-off spots as well at Valley Hills Mall in Hickory at local schools and at the Catawba County United Way office at 2760 Tate Blvd SE in Hickory.

For more information visit www.salvationarmycarolinas.org/hickory/ or call 828-322-8061. You can also call the United Way’s office at 828-327-6851.

The local U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program collects for the Christmas Bureau and the Hickory Police Department’s Cops for Tots campaign as well.

For information about this program or to make a donation, visit https://hickory-nc.toysfortots.org/.
2018 Volunteers