Record year in Juneau for giving despite snow, rain, cold

In the midst of a record 80 inches of snow falling on Juneau in the holiday season, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul St. Therese Conference (SVdP) served 25% more families than last year’s holiday season.

Jennifer Skinner, the executive director of SVdP, said the overall need was greater this year. The society oversees nearly a dozen programs for the homeless and the needy, including the annual Thanksgiving Basket and the Adopt-A-Family Christmas programs.

“We received our final request for gifts at 8:10 p.m. on Christmas Eve — that’s when we wrapped that last gift, and sent it out the door,” Skinner said. “We received our last [overall] request at 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve for a tree and all the trimmings. We looked around and found our last artificial tree.”

The society has a “can-do” reputation in Juneau, she said. Even unlikely requests are met with “how can we make ‘yes’ happen?”

“We see the love of Christ in the programming we do, and love is an action word,” Skinner said.

The Adopt-A-Family Christmas program served 115 families and 310 children this year. In 2024, that was 97 families and 257 children.

Likewise, food needs in Juneau were high this year, said Chris Gianotti, the society’s president.

On Nov. 22, 520 families signed up with the society to receive meals for those in need, more than the 489 in 2024. In order to deliver meals to that many people, it took 65 driving pairs to transport meals to seven to eight families each, all in one day. 

“We don’t ask any questions. We provide them a turkey or a turkey breast,” Gianotti said. “It comes in a box or a couple of packages of potatoes, gravy, two cans of green beans, two of corn, pumpkin pie, and cranberries. We solicit volunteers to deliver. It takes more than 60 teams to deliver most of those 520 meals.”

Individuals or couples also call on the organization on the last Wednesday before Thanksgiving, “so we try to meet that need, too, and deliver those.”

Donations come from fundraisers throughout the year, including the Friends of the Poor Walk each September. Our thrift store also helps generate income for the programs, Gianotti said.

The organization has seen the need grow each year, Gianotti said. Statistics show that, of Juneau’s 30,000 population, some 7,200 families receive SNAP benefits from the federal food safety program. That was shut down for a month from October to early November, creating a backlog of food needs for families.

“Some have full-time jobs and can’t afford housing,” Gianotti said. “It’s not stereotypically out-of-work people. These are people trying to make ends meet. The cost of housing is unobtainable. That’s sobering when you hear those numbers — that a quarter of the population in our capital city needs food assistance.”

Another program that gained a lot of attention in 2025 was “Sandwich Sunday,” which sees sandwiches given out once a month. Combined with a day sandwich program at the shelter, they’ve given out 780 sandwiches in three weeks.

“We made 300 sandwiches, plus received 480 sandwiches from a local grocery store. A side benefit is giving away the sandwiches gives us contact time with folks, particularly during a stretch of subzero weather. The staff talked to them, and they were able to find housing,” Gianotti added.

SVdP volunteers and staff work with those in need to provide emergency food, help keep the lights on or fill a fuel tank, avoid eviction, or pay for travel for medical care. They serve a diverse culture under a stated mission of charity regardless of religion, race, gender orientation, or national origin.

But to make giving and receiving more joyful, Skinner’s philosophy is to go all out with decorations, costumes, and seasonal extras.

“At the Adopt-A-Family Christmas program, we don’t do a delivery system. They pick up the gifts, so that’s an opportunity for them to have a holiday as they collect the gifts. We decorate floor to ceiling, and it is an event to pick up the presents,” Skinner said. “We try to make it so beautiful and so welcoming. We want to hit a home run with giving and happiness — not just going through the motions. So, we try to bring love and joy because it makes people feel the love and joy.”

After a 2025 of high needs, getting prepared for 2026 launched with another 20–30 inches of expected snow and freezing rain in the outlook, Skinner said.

“SVdP strives to keep the doors open as we understand the needs of our neighbors don’t simply go away due to snow, in fact, they increase.”