
Our volunteer Board is made up of local community members:
Jennifer Budwig, President
Tracy Van Emmerik, Vice President
Cindy Skavdal, Secretary
Courtney Sousa, Treasurer
Erin Bigham, Member

In 2023, a group of friends and neighbors
came together with the simple goal of delivering a few food baskets and gifts at Christmastime to community members who needed a helping hand. The gratitude and appreciation we received made the experience incredibly meaningful. What we didn’t expect was just how many families were brought to our attention who could have benefited from this kindness. Unfortunately, our resources were limited, and we weren’t able to help as many people as we wished. That experience inspired us to formalize our efforts and find a way to grow.
In 2024, our group became Noel for Neighbors. We connected with members of the Santa’s Sleigh program in Fortuna to learn from their experience and gather ideas that could support a similar effort in Ferndale. We also partnered with Ferndale Rotary, who generously agreed to serve as our fiscal sponsor, allowing us to operate under their 501(c)(3) status. With their support, we reached out to local community foundations and were fortunate to receive grants that helped us get our project off the ground.
In 2025, we officially became a 501(c)(3), established our board, and expanded our reach beyond Ferndale to include Loleta, Rio Dell, and Scotia as well.

The Noel for Neighbors program focuses on two main objectives:
1.) Providing holiday meal items and essential items:
We provide a complete holiday food basket to families and seniors/individuals who might otherwise go without. We also supply essential items, which range from toiletry items and socks to other clothing items and blankets, as well as gas cards.
2.) Gifting: We supply holiday gifts of clothing and toys to children, seniors/individuals who may be alone during the holidays, with the intention of spreading the warmth and love of Christmas, fostering a spirit of kindness and unity in our small town.
99% of all donations go directly to families in need.
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