As the holiday season approaches, it’s a time for families to come together, support one another, and inspire the spirit of giving in our communities. Whether you’re looking for ways to give back, need assistance, or simply want to celebrate with loved ones, there are many local resources and opportunities available to help ensure a warm and joyful season for all.
At thread, we wish you a safe, healthy, and playful holiday season! As always, we’re here to provide information and resources for families, so you can make the most of this festive time of year.
Resources to Support Families This Holiday Season
Below are some key resources available throughout the state to help make the holiday season a little brighter for those who need it most:
Anchorage Area
- Jewish Calendar: events hosted year-round.
- Anchorage GIFT hosted by the Salvation Army, helps provide gifts for children up to age 14 in the Anchorage Bowl area (Anchorage, Eagle River, and Chugiak).
- Abused Women’s Aid in Crisis (AWAIC) offers assistance to survivors of domestic violence, including single individuals and families with children. Volunteers can help by adopting families, purchasing items from wish lists, and assisting with holiday preparations.
- Food Bank of Alaska provides food distribution to Anchorage residents in need during the holidays.
- Bean’s Café helps families with holiday meals, ensuring everyone has access to a festive and nutritious dinner.
- Tree Recycling can be done at Carrs/Safeway locations. They will recycle trees into wood chips for local trails.
Fairbanks Area
- Santa’s Helpers collects and delivers over two tons of food and hundreds of toys to more than 350 families in the Fairbanks area. Local donations provide toys for children 18 and under, while monetary donations help provide two weeks of essential groceries for each family.
- Fairbanks Community Food Bankprovides holiday food boxes to local families in need.
- Holiday Food Box applications are open through December 4, 2024.
- Holiday Services at Or HaTzafon – “Light of the North” A visiting rabbi puts together a full schedule of services, classes, and related events for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
- Jewish Center Chanukah Celebration
Juneau Area
- Juneau Community Resource List offers local resources for those seeking assistance during the holiday season.
- The Society of St. Vincent de Paul provides special food and gift baskets to families in need during the holidays in the Juneau area.
- Sukkat Shalom (Shelter of Peace) Chanukah Celebration
Statewide Programs
- Adopt-a-Family Program helps provide for families statewide by matching families with sponsors. The program closes on December 7, 2024.
- Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program provides new clothing and toys to children in need across the country, helping bring holiday joy to over one million children each year.
Support for Military Families
The holidays can be a time of added stress for military families. Fortunately, there are several programs dedicated to providing assistance:
- Hope for Heroes offers support to military families and veterans, including sending care packages to deployed troops. Services are by appointment only—contact them for more information.
- Operation Ride Home in partnership with the Armed Services YMCA and Jack Daniels helps junior enlisted service members with travel expenses so they can spend the holidays with their families.
Holiday Activities Across Alaska
For those looking to celebrate and enjoy the festive season, numerous holiday activities are happening across the state. Below are just a few highlights:
Anchorage
- Tudor Craft Fair
- Holiday Expo
- Tree Lighting
- Anchorage Museum
Free Admission Day
Planetarium Show - Winter Makers Market
Fairbanks
- Holiday Marketplace
- Northern Lights Winter Market
- Winter Solstice Celebration
- Ice Art Around Town
- Nanook Recreation Public Skate
- Santa Claus House
- Ice Museum
Juneau
Winter & Holiday Safety Tips
Alaska’s long winters mean families need to take extra precautions to stay safe and healthy. Here are a few key safety tips for outdoor play, holiday decorations, and more:
Outdoor Play
- Ensure children are dressed in warm, layered clothing and actively engage in outdoor play to stay warm.
- Limit outdoor playtime if temperatures are extremely cold, but make sure children stay active indoors as well.
- Check outdoor play equipment for safety, as some may not be suitable for cold weather.
Winter Weather & Illnesses
- While cold weather doesn’t cause illnesses like COVID-19 or the flu, outdoor play in fresh air helps reduce the spread of germs.
Holiday Decorations
- Be cautious with holiday decorations. Ensure small objects are out of reach of young children and always supervise when children help decorate.
- Use power strips with built-in circuit breakers to prevent electrical overloads.
thread’s Holiday Schedule
In observance of the holiday season, thread’s statewide offices (Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau) will be closed on the following dates:
- Thursday, November 28
- Friday, November 29
- Tuesday, December 24
- Wednesday, December 25
- Wednesday, January 1
We hope you and your loved ones enjoy a safe and joyful holiday season. Thank you for partnering with us to strengthen access to affordable, high-quality child care across Alaska this year.
On behalf of thread, we wish you a wonderful holiday season!