American Legion Auxiliary provides holiday relief for Veterans
By Gregory House, Public affairs specialist
Tables in the multi-purpose center at the George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center campus held stacks of winter coats, toys and all kinds of gifts for the holiday season.
Volunteers lead Veterans through the neatly organized piles as they choose gifts for the people they love. For many, this may look like a small, boutique holiday shop, but for the Veterans doing the shopping, every item is free and every selection is a gift from the community.
The event’s purpose is simple and practical: reduce the financial burden of holiday gift-giving for Veterans who are struggling. Veterans were invited to select up to 5 gifts for themselves or their immediate family; volunteers helped bag everything, so recipients were able to take their gifts home the same day. For Veterans who are far away from their families, American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) shipped gifts to family at no cost to the Veterans.
“I’ve done this for probably 25 years,” said Cary Fisher, the ALA Department of Utah executive director. “My daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter come out every year with my husband to help set up and it’s the start to our Christmas.”
The gift shop depends entirely on donations and the labor of dozens of community volunteers. Schools, businesses, civic groups and individuals donate hundreds of items each year: jackets and blankets for cold Utah winters, puzzles and board games, stuffed animals for children, and practical household items that make a home more comfortable.
Every year, the shop serves around 200 Veterans and distributes more than 900 donated items through collaborative efforts through the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System (VASLCHCS), reflecting strong local support. VA staff say inquiries about the gift shop begin months in advance.
“The American Legion Auxiliary gift shop is all about the community showing up and giving Veterans a little help this holiday season,” said Sarah Hallen, service chief for The Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) at VASLCHCS. “Veterans really look forward to this. CDCE receives phone calls every year asking when the gift shop is happening.”
Beyond the presents, the Gift Shop offers something less tangible but equally vital: dignity. Many Veterans say being able to pick out and give a gift themselves restores a sense of normalcy and pride that financial hardship can erode. Volunteers who help set up and staff the shop describe the annual event as one of the most rewarding parts of their service.
“This is my third year of being here full time,” said Peggy Robertson, ALA Department of Utah President. “You can really see the difference: when they walk in here, the Veterans are nervous and scared to talk to me, but when you say goodbye and merry Christmas to them, they’re so happy and you’ve given them such a relief for the holiday season.”
This event started during the holiday season approximately 80 years ago and has grown significantly during that time.
“When this all started, it was just carts that went up to the wards with patients who couldn’t get out to do their shopping,” Fisher said.
The Gift Shop has evolved over decades, but the mission remains the same: community members coming together to ensure Veterans and their families enjoy the holidays without added financial stress.
For more information on how to contribute to initiatives like this, visit https://www.va.gov/salt-lake-city-health-care/work-with-us/volunteer-or-donate/ to volunteer with the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System or https://www.aladeptutah.org to find out more about donating to the American Legion Auxiliary.