The Santa Store is an annual tradition at Sojourner Truth House. Throughout the year, participants earn “Sojourner Bucks” by doing good deeds: attending classes, completing acts of kindness, and helping their instructors. They can then use their Sojourner Bucks in the Santa Store to purchase gifts for their children, family members, and even treat themselves to a brand-new appliance, towel set, or other home essentials.

In previous years, the Santa Store took place over two days, when day center participants and outreach participants came together to shop. This year, in an effort to provide families with more time and a calmer shopping experience, the Santa Store was spread out over four days. This eliminated the rush and allowed each participant to have a personal shopping assistant to help gather their new goodies.

Before this festive event can happen, volunteers and donors are needed to fill and set up the special shop. Community members donated brand-new items such as coffee pots, pillows, bedding, toys, cleaning supplies, clothing, jewelry, and much more. Among these generous supporters was Lerner and Rowe, who brought a U-Haul full of donations to stock the Santa Store. Their team shopped early in the morning, hand-picking items with STH participants in mind.

Volunteers from Suncrest Christian Church, who regularly give their time each month at Sojourner, set up the Santa Store, spreading out items and organizing the space so participants could easily see and select what they wanted to purchase.

When Santa Store week arrived, hands-on helpers from community partners stepped in to assist shoppers. Service League of NWI, Enbridge, and Northwest Indiana Graduate Colony-DPsiE spent hours ensuring the experience was fun, festive, and seamless for participants to enjoy.

Sojourner Truth House wraps up another joyful Santa Store week and is already looking forward to spreading Christmas cheer again next year.