Host Site & Partner

HANDBOOK

Saturday, December 14, 2019

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Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1

The Process ................................................................................................................................................. 2

Important Information

Family Registration Process

Host Site Process

What LUM Provides ................................................................................................................................... 3

Expectations for Host Sites and Partners .................................................................................................... 4

Covenant

Responsibilities

Simple Principles

Check List - Planning - To Do List ............................................................................................................. 5

First Things First ............................................................................................................................. 5

Marketing Plan ................................................................................................................................ 5

Donations ........................................................................................................................................ 5

Before Jubilee Christmas Day ......................................................................................................... 5

Jubilee Christmas Day ..................................................................................................................... 6

After Jubilee Christmas ................................................................................................................... 7

Frequently Asked Questions ....................................................................................................................... 8

Inspirations & Reflections ........................................................................................................................... 9

Attachments

Covenant ........................................................................................................................................ 12

Details Form .................................................................................................................................. 12

Evaluation ...................................................................................................................................... 13

Introduction It is with great joy that Lafayette Urban Ministry will once again be coordinating Jubilee Christmas on Saturday,

December 14, 2019. As you probably know, Jubilee Christmas could not be possible without the annual

commitment from Host Sites and Partners (churches and organizations) like you! And the planning begins NOW.

For 35 years, Jubilee Christmas has made parents the heroes on Christmas morning with their children. This

Jubilee Christmas Manual is intended to make the process simple to understand, give you a resource of information

and to offer some consistency among all Jubilee Christmas events across our community.

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The Process

Important Jubilee Christmas information:

DATE – Saturday, December 14.

Coordinator Meetings:

o First Meeting – Thursday, October 10 at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. in the LUM Office– Conference Room,

420 N 4th Street, Lafayette

o Second Meeting – Tuesday, November 12 at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. in the LUM Office– Conference

Room, 420 N 4th Street, Lafayette

Read and submit online the Jubilee Christmas Covenant by Monday, October 7 or the first Coordinators

Meeting

Family Registration Process

September 18 – Jubilee Christmas Invitations mailed to all eligible LUM client families. To be eligible for

Jubilee Christmas, families must:

o Have legal custody of at least one child age 12 or younger

o Provide documentation that they have a household income of less than 150% of the poverty

threshold

o Be a resident of Tippecanoe County

October 21 at noon – Deadline for early registration

October 21-23 – Open (In Person or Phone) Registration is open; 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Late November – Registered Families informed of their assignment for Jubilee Christmas Day, which

includes site name, site address, admission card, check-in time, and explanation of day process

Jubilee Christmas Host Site Process

Each Site hosts between 15 and 75 families

September 18 – Site Hosts and Partners are invited to participate by mail

October 7 – Host Site Covenants are due

October 10 – Coordinator Meeting: explain the Jubilee Christmas event and process

November 12 – Coordinator Meeting: LUM provides a list of families with contact information and

information on children.

Sites contact families via email or

phone call –

o Welcome – begin to cultivate a

relationship

o Confirm check-in time,

location, parking, etc.

o Ask the following:

Understand the Jubilee

Christmas Day

process?

Any special needs or

requests?

Need transportation?

December 10 – Oakland HS/LARA

Cafeteria, 1100 Elizabeth St # 3,

Lafayette; 1-3 p.m.

o Shop for toys you need

December 12 – Oakland HS/LARA Cafeteria, 1100 Elizabeth St # 3, Lafayette; 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

o Pick up from LUM – Toys; Gift Wrap; Hams; Gift Cards and Food Cards

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December 14

o Jubilee Christmas Day Be prepared and ready before

Families arrive

Greet each Family as they arrive

Take their Admission Card

Bring any children to your

daycare room

Introduce the Family to their

personal host

Give them a name-tag

Offer them refreshments

After shopping and wrapping is

complete –

Assist families to their cars

Give each family -- Ham;

Homemade cookies; Food Card; Gift Cards

Immediately following your event, deliver surplus toys to Jubilee Christmas, Part 2 Site to be

distributed by LUM to other families later on Saturday.

o Jubilee Christmas, Part 2 – LUM coordinates another Jubilee Christmas event – surplus toys

distributed to 50 additional families.

o Jubilee Christmas, Part 3 – LUM coordinates another Jubilee Christmas event – surplus toys

distributed to up to 50 additional families.

December 16 – Remaining toys distributed to other local agencies like the Lyn Treece Boys & Girls Club

(Christmas Day Dinner).

December 23 – Submit Evaluation of the program

What LUM Provides

LUM coordinates the following:

Families

o Screen, invite, register

o Mailings: invitation, confirmation of registration, and assignment, basic information & admission card

o Assign families to each host site

o Give Family information to Host Site coordinators including name, ages of children, address, email

address, phone number of their assigned guests

Using the benefits of collective purchasing:

o Purchase the Hams – one per family

o Purchase Food Cards – one per family

o Purchase Gift Cards – one per teen

Collect toys, clothes, gift wrap, etc. – and distribute to each Host site equally – typically at least one gift per

child assigned to your site

Marketing – promote Jubilee Christmas to community, and LUM friends – through email, media releases,

and social media

Coordinate the LUM Jubilee Christmas events with surplus toys

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Expectations of the Host Sites and Partners

Covenant. Host Sites and Partners are asked to agree to a Jubilee

Christmas Covenant. The Covenant urges that each sponsor

agrees to the following:

1. Review the Biblical basis for Jubilee Christmas

2. Conduct the program with dignity and respect for the low-

income families served

3. Share gifts and money among the several host-sites so that

there is equity in the items available

4. Designate any remaining Jubilee Christmas funds to the

Lafayette Urban Ministry or a comparable ministry of our

local congregation. (No funds may be held in reserve for

next year.)

5. Work cooperatively with the LUM staff and maintain

regular communication

6. Attend and participate in meetings and training events (Two

Coordinators Meetings – Thursday, October 10 at 2 p.m. or

7 p.m. & Tuesday, November 12 at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. at LUM

Office, 420 N 4th Street, Lafayette)

7. Welcome volunteers from your church/organization and

from partner churches/organizations

8. Submit to LUM an evaluation of your program, program

details, and financial data

Responsibility. The Host Sites and Partners are responsible for providing the following:

New gifts – Toys, clothes, games, books, crafts, art supplies, sports equipment, bicycles and more

Payment for one Ham for each family (approximately $10 each)

Food cards – Family up to five - $30 per family; Families of six or more - $40

Gift cards for teenagers (age 13 to 18) - $30 per child

Most of what you provide may be donated by your members. The estimated overall cost for serving as a host site is

approximately $65-75 per family plus any supplies or “special” gifts you need to get.

Simple Principles for Host Sites

Treat your family guests with respect and love

Do not judge – that is not our role

Do not accept or ask families for donations

Assist families in shopping and wrapping gifts – do not counsel or give personal advice

Respect confidentiality – if families share personal information, do not share that information, keep that

information stored safely, and properly destroy the information when you no longer need it.

Be ready to offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities

Be patient when communicating

Hosts and volunteers should be discouraged from contacting families after Jubilee Christmas

Hosts and volunteers should NOT offer money or gifts to guests. All gifts and gift cards should be from the

Host-Site – not from individual volunteers.

Create a pleasant, loving, comfortable, festive, safe, welcoming, family environment

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Check List – Planning – To Do List

First Things First (October & November)

Recruit and train your Jubilee Christmas coordinator

Review and submit your Jubilee Christmas Covenant

Determine the number of families you (Host Site & Partner) will host

With Coordinator, recruit a Jubilee Christmas committee

Reserve space -- facility, kitchen, rooms, etc. Ideally, a large room with tables for welcoming and wrapping

and additional rooms for toy display makes for good ‘traffic flow.’

Recruit volunteers – hosts, check-in staff, set-up crew, clean-up crew, kitchen/refreshments crew, cookie

bakers

Communicate with Partner church/organization

o Discuss “Partner Expectations” - agreement on responsibilities, duties, budget, promotion, etc.

Marketing Plan

Announcements – at services, events, classes

Fliers, posters, display cases, bulletin boards, banners

Bulletin articles

Website, social media

Tables after services and at social

events

Reach out to larger community

Donations

Cash donations & collections

Toys, clothes, sports equipment,

games, books, art/craft supplies,

blankets

Homemade Christmas Cookies

Batteries, wrapping paper, tape

Develop a Jubilee Christmas

promotional strategy including

announcements, displays, posters, special events?

Before Jubilee Christmas Day

Volunteers

o Recruit, appoint team leaders for major areas like the toy room, kitchen, general maintenance,

check-in/check-out/greeters, etc.

o Orientation for volunteers

Encourage festive dress

Review “simple principles” – see page 4

o Recruit photographer for event

Families

o Call or email each family personally

o Explain the Jubilee Christmas process – in a positive manner

o Confirm address, time, parking

o Ask if there are any “special requests” or special needs

o Arrange transportation if needed (implement proper transportation protocols)

Set up Childcare, if needed (implement proper childcare protocols)

Music, decorations, Santa appearance

Invite pastor(s)/leader(s) to give welcome and opening prayer

Refreshments – plan, shop, prepare

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Order supplies

o Name-tags, markers

o Refreshments, candy, plates, cups,

napkins

o Decorations, Santa hats

o Tape, batteries, gift wrap

Facility

o Make sure room is ready

Tables, chairs, lectern, sound

system

Bathrooms are open and

stocked

Access to mops, brooms,

cleaning supplies, garbage

bags, trash cans/recycling bins

o Plan a room layout that is safe, has logical traffic flow, and is welcoming and comfortable

Shop for special gifts like bicycles, musical instruments, sports equipment, electronics

Provide gift wrapping, gift bags, tape, ribbons & bows, and batteries for electronic toys

Toy distribution – have a plan

o Have a separate room for toy shopping

o Bigger items – display on stage; distribute by drawing names

o Create schedule – staggering shopping trips for families

o Monitor room to make sure you have enough toys to give each child 3-4 nice gifts

o Recruit an emcee – announces shopping times, coordinates drawings, makes general

announcements

Jubilee Christmas Day

Set up

o Set up facility – tables, chairs, unlock bathroom, unlock exit doors, sound system (sound check),

review evacuation protocol

o Arrange toys, clothes and bigger toys

Categorize toys (games, dolls, stuffed animals, sports, puzzles, crafts/art supplies, books,

batteries, coats, gloves/scarves, building kits (Legos, erector sets), stocking stuffers

Categorize by Age ranges (pre-school, high school, etc.)

Have directional signs to make it easy to find room

Implement good, safe traffic flow from one area to the next

o Set up check-in tables, name-tags/markers

Have two different color or shaped (Christmas trees and Candy canes) name-tags to

distinguish volunteers from families; Give each family a “number”

o Decorate room, Music

o Prepare refreshments, drinks; set up refreshment table

o Set up tables for wrapping gifts

o Put up directional signs for check-in, bathrooms

o Collect Volunteers’ names, addresses, email addresses & phone numbers

During event

o Be ready for on time check-in

o Emcee needs to be ready and in place

o Find pastor(s)/organization leader for welcome and prayer

o Serve Refreshments, monitor refreshments

o Photographer takes photos – getting permission from guests

o Make announcements

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Thank coordinators, volunteers, churches/organizations, members

Bathroom locations, exits, etc.; Refreshments, candy locations, etc.

Use #Jubilee on social media

o Monitor activity, monitor facility – keep clean and safe (do not block exits)

o Monitor the number of toys – If you have extra, families return to the gift room and select an extra

gift per family or child. Generally, each family should have three to four nice gifts per child plus

stocking stuffers and clothing items.

At the End

o Distribute hams, cookies, gift cards, food cards

o Evaluations – get evaluations from guests, volunteers

o Distribute LUM & church information

o Assist guests to their cars

o Offer transportation home

Clean up

o Box up -- Surplus toys, clothes, non-perishable food

o Clean facility (better than you found it); Put away tables, chairs, etc.; Bring trash to dumpster

Gifts for Families Unable to Attend – if you picked toys for families unable to attend your event, please

deliver gifts, food cards and gift cards to LUM immediately following your event. Clearly label the

package of gifts and tape the food and gift cards to the outside of the package. DO NOT give them more

just because you have surplus. Surplus toys should be brought to LUM; surplus food to the food pantry.

Surplus toys – Extra toys, clothes, books, games, etc. from your event should be delivered to our “LUM

Jubilee Christmas, Part 2” site immediately following your event. The LUM Jubilee Christmas Site is the

LARA Cafeteria, 1100 Elizabeth St # 3, Lafayette.

On Jubilee Christmas Day, we encourage you to be creative. Here are some ideas shared by others:

Begin the event with an opening prayer or devotion from your pastor or organization leader

Give each family a home baked loaf of bread or gift jar with cookie ingredients and recipe

Give each family a laundry basket in which to carry their gifts home

Have a surprise visit from Santa

Have festive centerpieces on tables that are given to the families at the end of the event

Have your members sing Christmas carols with your family guests

Offer a continental breakfast with bagels or breakfast casseroles; or a simple lunch like chili and bread.

Provide a family gift like a blanket or quilt

Provide other needed household products or food staples (items not covered by Food Stamps) – packaged

in a plastic tote or laundry basket/hamper

Jubilee Christmas, Parts 2 & 3

Deliver surplus toys to the LUM Jubilee Christmas, Part 2

Site – LARA Cafeteria, 1100 Elizabeth St., Lafayette

Excess funds – deposit in the LUM Good Samaritan Fund or

similar fund at your church (excess funds may not be saved

for future Jubilee Christmas events)

Complete LUM Jubilee Christmas Evaluation and submit

Report your event through the bulletin and announcements at

services thanking your members for donating & volunteering

Photos – Take photos and send photos to LUM

o Post photos on church/organization website and social

media

o Use photos in bulletin, etc. Use #Jubilee.

Send thank you’s to pastor, volunteers and partner churches

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FAQ’s - Frequently Asked Questions

May we accept gently used toys, clothes, books, etc.?

No. Out of respect for our families and to maintain the integrity of the program, we only accept new items.

How do we monitor the families to make sure everyone is getting their fair share of the toys?

Train your volunteers to be nonjudgmental, friendly, welcoming, and trusting. A volunteer host will be assigned by

you to each of the families. The host will guide the family through the process and make sure that the directions

are clear. Our families are often humble, grateful, and loving.

How many toys should be available?

Generally, Jubilee Christmas seeks to provide 3-4 nice gifts per child in the family. Books and clothes may be

added. In addition, lesser items (stocking stuffers like crayons, stuffed toys) should be available. Some families

will also get a bigger item for their family. Plan to have a few extra gifts available in each age grouping to facilitate

choices and avoid disappointments.

Would you rather have money or toys?

Money is used for food items, food certificates,

and gift certificates for older siblings. Cash

donations also help with any last minute needs

of specific toys, batteries, supplies, etc.

However, many people enjoy shopping for

Jubilee Christmas families. Encourage it to

become a club or family activity.

What happens if there is money left over?

If funds remain, they are designated to the

LUM Good Samaritan Fund or a similar fund

of a local church. No money is held in reserve.

How can we involve the youth in Jubilee Christmas?

Youth can be challenged to raise money and shop for Jubilee Christmas. They can bake and serve refreshments.

Young adults may be capable of assisting with childcare. However, they should not be assigned as a host to a

family.

May we continue to work with these families after Jubilee Christmas?

Many of the families that participate in Jubilee Christmas are only temporarily in a financial emergency. There

may have been a recent lay-off, temporary disability, divorce or medical crisis. The vast majority of clients seen in

our emergency financial assistance program are seen only once or twice a year. Other families invited to Jubilee

Christmas are able to sustain their living situation, but are unable to cover the extra expenses of providing a

Christmas celebration for their children. If anyone wants to make a continuing gift to help these and other families

throughout the year, suggest a gift to the LUM Good Samaritan Fund or to your church’s emergency financial

assistance fund. These funds assist in helping families avoid eviction and disconnects, provide work clothes or

transportation to work, and pay for needed medications.

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Inspiration and Reflections

Deuteronomy 15:10

Give generously to him and do so without a grudging

heart; then because of this the Lord your God will

bless you in all your work and in everything you put

your hand to.

Deuteronomy 16:17

Every man shall give as he is able, according to the

blessing of the LORD your God which He has given

you.

1 Chronicles 29:9

Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so

willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord

with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced

greatly.

Proverbs 3:27

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.

Proverbs 11:24-25

There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet

it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.

Proverbs 21:26

…the righteous gives and does not hold back.

Proverbs 22:9

He who is generous will be blessed, for he

gives some of his food to the poor.

Proverbs 28:27

He who gives to the poor will never want, but

he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.

Malachi 3:10

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so

that there may be food in My house, and test

Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I

will not open for you the windows of heaven

and pour out for you a blessing until it

overflows.”

Mark 12:41-44

And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury;

and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which

amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more

than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all

she owned, all she had to live on.”

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Matthew 6:3-4

But when you give to the poor, do not let your left

hand know what your right hand is doing, so that

your giving will be in secret; and your Father who

sees what is done in secret will reward you.

Luke 3:11

And he would answer and say to them, “The man

who has two tunics is to share with him who has

none; and he who has food is to do likewise.”

Luke 6:30

Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever

takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour

into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it

will be measured to you in return.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him wouldn’t perish,

but would have eternal life.

Acts 20:35

In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words

of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Romans 12:8

…Or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows

mercy, with cheerfulness.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap

bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God

loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in

everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.

2 Corinthians 9:10

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and

increase the harvest of your righteousness;

Philippians 4:15-17

And you yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I departed from

Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica

you send a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases

to your account.

James 2:15-16

If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be

warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?

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Isaiah 58:6-9

Is this not the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed

go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into

your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go

before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall

cry for help, and he will say, “Here I am.”

Matthew 2:10-11

When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the place, they saw the

Child, with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they

offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Deuteronomy 15:7-11

If there is a poor man with you, one of your brothers, in any of your towns in your land which the Lord your God is

giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother; but you shall freely open

your hand to him, and shall generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks. Beware that there is

no base thought in your heart…. You shall generously give to him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you

give to him, because for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all your undertakings.

For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore, I command you, saying, “You shall freely open your

hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.”

Unexpected

by Ann Weems

Even now we simply do not expect

to find a deity in a stable.

Somehow the setting is all wrong:

the swaddling clothes too plain,

the manger too common for the likes of a Savior,

the straw inelegant,

the animals, reeking and noisy,

the whole scene too ordinary for our taste.

And the cast of characters is no better.

With the possible exception of the kings,

who among them is fit for this night?

the shepherds? Certainly too crude,

the carpenter too rough,

the girl too young.

And the baby!

Whoever expected a baby?

Whoever expected the advent of God in a helpless child?

Had the Messiah arrived in the blazing light of the glory

of a legion of angels wielding golden swords,

the whole world could have been conquered for Christ

right then and there

and we in the church – to say nothing of the world! –

wouldn’t have so much trouble today.

Even now we simply do not expect

to face the world armed with love.

Kneeling in Bethlehem (1980, Westminster Press)

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Covenant & Details Form

Please complete online by Monday, October 7, 2019

Each year, Lafayette Urban Ministry coordinates

Jubilee Christmas, which is a program sponsored

by many of the LUM member churches and other

community organizations who organize events for

local families at several different host sites. Using

this model, we maximize participation of many

churches and organizations – and serve many more

low income families. In an effort to be consistent

among all hosts, we ask that you read and agree to

this Covenant. We, the members, wish to be a

sponsoring organization for Jubilee Christmas as a

Host or Partner (with another Host). To that end,

we officially agree to the following:

1. To review the Biblical basis for Jubilee

Christmas

2. To conduct the program with dignity and

respect for the low-income families served

3. To share gifts and money among the several

host-sites so that there is equity in the items available

4. To designate any remaining Jubilee Christmas funds to the Lafayette Urban Ministry or a comparable

ministry of our local congregation/organization

(No funds may be held in reserve for next year)

5. To work cooperatively with the LUM staff and to maintain regular communication

6. To attend and participate in all meetings and training events.

(Coordinators Meetings – Thursday, October 10 at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. & Tuesday, November 12

at 2 p.m. or 7 p.m. at LUM Office conference room, 420 N 4th Street, Lafayette)

7. To welcome volunteers and help from other churches.

8. To submit to LUM an evaluation of the program at your site, details, and financial data

Details – Information you will need to complete online form:

Name of Host Site

Your pastor’s or organization’s leader’s name & email address

Host Site address

Host Site Coordinators – name(s), address(es), daytime & cell phone numbers(s) & email(s)

Name of Partner(s), if any

Name of Partners’ Coordinator(s)

Start time; End time

Specific Location (Room, Building, Address)

Describe Parking

Offering transportation? If yes, Name/phone of contact:

Are you offering a meal? If yes, describe

Describe any special gifts offered

Phone number at Host Site

Number of Families requesting

List any other Requirements/Restrictions

Please complete online by Monday, October 7, 2019

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ATTACHMENT

Jubilee Christmas – Site Evaluation

Please complete online by December 23, 2019

Host and partner church(s):

Number of families attending:

Total number of children and teens served:

Number of volunteers involved at your site:

Financial Data:

Total cash receipts $

Cash disbursements $ expended for

$ expended for

$ expended for

Funds remaining $

We will be sharing excess contributions with the LUM Good Samaritan Fund (circle one): YES | NO

If NO, please explain how funds will be shared:

What could we do better to help you with Jubilee Christmas?

General comments/suggestions for next year:

Printed name:

Signed: Date: