Meet Christmas for All's Unsung Heroes

Christmas for All's referring partners are Kootenai County's unsung heroes. 

They walk alongside clients in need and refer them to Charity Reimagined for specific assistance from Christmas for All, the Coeur d'Alene Press holiday charity campaign that, through the great generosity of our readers, helps recipients throughout the year. 

It is an honor to work with these outstanding men and women, and we are excited to introduce them to you over the next few weeks. 

Meet Lori Weaver, the client resource specialist at the Post Falls Food Bank. 

“I have been fortunate enough to spend the last nine years getting to know the many faces and families of our food bank. I have been blessed to build relationships with families and to be a part of their lives,” Lori said. “From new pregnancies and major life events, to the death of my seniors, I ride along and buckle up to be a part of the journey. I truly love what I do and the people I do it with.”

Through weekly interactions with her clients, Lori has a window into their lives and is able to offer resources when the need arises. 

“One of those amazing resources is Christmas for All, and I use it often. The great thing about this program is that it offers a type of resource that few other agencies do,” she said. “For instance, I’ve helped clients get new tires, new beds and car repairs that enabled them to continue to get to work and provide housing for their children.”

Lori said Christmas for All is a valuable resource because the program is tailored to meet individual needs rather than providing just one type of item, and the families helped through the program are always thankful. 

“Imagine someone telling you that they’re going to get your car fixed so you can keep working and providing for your family as a single parent. The amount of stress and relief that CFA can provide to my families is just priceless,” Lori said. “I love when they come back in and tell me what a difference it made in their lives. That’s what it’s all about.” 

She said another way this program is so versatile is that it partners with Charity Tracker, cloud-based software managed by Christmas for All partner Charity Reimagined.  

“Charity Tracker is a connection between so many nonprofits in North Idaho. This program allows numerous nonprofits to interact with each other and work with clients simultaneously,” Lori said. “It’s like a one-stop shop for resourcing. You are able to see how many different organizations are offering what resources, and there’s also a bulletin section to see what items are available, or are in need. Charity Tracker helps all of us collaborate.”

To learn more about Charity Reimagined and Charity Tracker, visit charityreimagined.org. 

Post Falls Food Bank

The Post Falls Food Bank works to enrich the lives of Kootenai County Residents, through food assistance, nutrition education, and access to community services. We have a vision to be a determining force in the elimination of hunger and poverty in Kootenai County. The Post Falls Food Bank serves over 100 families each day and is always in need of donations.

To donate to Christmas for All, visit cdapress.com and click on Christmas for All at the top of the page.