Sub for Santa

Every year, hundreds of families from the local community don't have the financial means to provide Christmas for their children. The United Way's Sub for Santa program finds families who will "sub" in for Santa and take gifts to the families in need. It is a truly incredible program that helps many people every year.

In order for the families in need to get the assistance, they need to attend an open house hosted by the United Way. Y-Serve volunteers attend the open houses and help the United Way verify documents to ensure that families with the most need receive help and that they choose appropriate presents for their children. Without our volunteers, the community program wouldn't be able to do what it does!

If you are interested in helping Santa out and would like to receive more information, please contact us at sub4santa@byu.edu .

Click here to sign up for a Sub for Santa workshop.

Please complete this mandatory 20 minute child protection training before you begin working with this program.

One time when I was volunteering at Sub for Santa, I had a man come in that I knew I recognized with his wife and newborn baby. At first I couldn't place how I knew him; but then I realized that I had seen him often in a building on campus that I spent a lot of time. I asked him if he was a student at BYU. He explained to me that he is pursuing a PhD and that he had moved here from Chile. His wife didn't have time to work because she was raising their 3 children and a newborn baby and that their only income was from some of the research he was doing. I realized that this program was helping this man that I see every day on campus and his family and it touched me to know that our volunteer efforts were directly benefiting people right here in Provo, and sometimes even our peers that can't afford Christmas for their children.

-Gary Smithson