12 Days contributions lower than years past

The United Way is accepting donations - including, but not limited to, clothing, food, furniture, toys and money - for the families of this series. To donate, call (956) 279-9047, (956) 279-9048 or (956) 279-9049 or mail to United Way, P.O. Box 187, McAllen Tx. 78505. You can also make an online donation on the United Way of South Texas website at www.unitedwayofsotx.org. The United Way of South Texas is located at 1200 E. Hackberry, Suite F in McAllen. The Monitor is not accepting donations.

McALLEN — During the past two weeks, 12 needy families opened their lives to Monitor readers as part of the paper’s 10th annual “12 Days of Christmas” series.

But so far, fewer people have responded to their struggles than in years past.

“Fewer people are calling in,” said Amelia Rojas, a United Way outcome specialist. “Fewer people are dropping things off.”

The Monitor and the United Way of South Texas partner to share the stories of families battling disease, poverty and extreme misfortune.

In years past, a small staff of United Way volunteers would arrive at work and spend all day returning phone calls from people wishing to donate, Rojas said. When the 2006 holiday season ended, monetary gifts totaled about $64,000, and volunteers had sorted truckloads of clothes, toys and appliances.

Arriving to work Tuesday, though, Rojas only had two phone calls to return.

While donations picked up throughout the week, the United Way received only $24,000 in monetary donations as of Thursday, nearly two weeks after the campaign began — just over a third of last year’s record-breaking totals. Last year, in the first week alone, volunteers collected $17,000 in donations.

“I had one lady say that she wanted to help but it’s hard right now with the economy and gas prices being so high,” Rojas said. “People are more cautious this year about how they’re spending their money.”

There is still time for readers to open their hearts, though. The United Way is accepting donations through Saturday afternoon. Phone, Internet and mail donations are accepted. On Wednesday — in an attempt to collect as many donations as possible — United Way also plans to accept donations through 2 p.m. that day.

While the $24,000 total so far this year does not include donations of clothes, toys, furniture and services, many of this year’s families are in desperate need of money, Rojas said.

Money to pay the mounting medical bills of 4-month-old Lorenzo Tamez, who relies on a room full of medical equipment at his Edinburg home to keep him alive.

Money to rebuild homes like the Reyna family’s, which lost its Mission mobile home to a fire three years ago.

And money to simply put food on the table each night for Amanda Gossett’s brood of six young children in McAllen.

Many of the 2007 families have had to swallow their pride to admit they need help. They have worked hard to meet their own needs and only need a small push to get a leg up on luck.

With no prior construction experience, Martin Vazquez spends his only day off each week building a new house in Alton for his pregnant wife and three children, hoping to replace a home they too lost to fire.

Elsa widow Maria Villalpando, meanwhile, makes tamales in her small kitchen to sell the next morning for money to support her growing family — seven children, one grandchild and another on the way. Her husband died just four months ago.

Despite the relatively meager donations this year, there are those who have stepped up.

Civic organizations like the Edinburg Rotary Club have organized a food drive.

Mark Voit, a McAllen man who designs and fits patients with leg supports and prosthetics, offered his services to Axel Aguilar, a 7-year-old in Citrus City with a rare, debilitating leg condition. Voit hopes he can provide a brace to control the excruciating pain in Axel’s right leg after he sees a specialist.

Ivan Garcia of Alton received gifts of clothes, toys and nutritional supplements from Mary Helle and Scotchie Bates, McAllen women who work for a company that sells natural skin care supplements. The 4-year-old suffers from a harrowing condition that makes his skin so fragile a mere touch can make it blister. Last week, the women had a chance to deliver their gifts in person.

“Bless his little heart,” Helle said. “He came walking up with his little legs and arms in bandages. It really touched the heart.”

And earlier this week, a 7-year-old girl brought United Way staffers to tears when she offered up her treasured 30-piece collection of Care Bear toys so other children could receive a gift this season.

Still, area residents could surely spare a little more to help their neighbors at this time of year.

The United Way is accepting donations - including, but not limited to, clothing, food, furniture, toys and money - for the families of this series. To donate, call (956) 279-9047, (956) 279-9048 or (956) 279-9049 or mail to United Way, P.O. Box 187, McAllen Tx. 78505. You can also make an online donation on the United Way of South Texas website at www.unitedwayofsotx.org. The United Way of South Texas is located at 1200 E. Hackberry, Suite F in McAllen. The Monitor is not accepting donations.

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Jeremy Roebuck covers courts, law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4437.