Operation Christmas tree to pause operations for 2023 holiday season

Local nonprofit Operation Christmas tree based out of Windsor is pausing donation efforts this year.

A letter posted to the nonprofit’s website and social media pages said the project has experienced “ups, downs and change for our team.”

Tory Crowder, who founded the nonprofit with her husband in 2020, said there were many factors that went into the difficult decision and that it was not made lightly.

“We kind of had the cards stacked against us going into this year and it just came to a point where we had to make a decision,” Crowder said. “This is a step back so we can propel forward and have a clear vision of what is needed so that we can be successful in the coming year.”

Operation Christmas Tree was founded by Crowder and her husband when the pandemic left many families facing financial insecurity or unemployment.

In 2020, the Crowders decided they would gift 10 families a tree instead of giving each other gifts. The nonprofit expanded to donating lights, decorations, meals and gifts to Sonoma County families in need. In its first year, it ended up delivering 214 Christmas trees and providing 67 families with a hot meal on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day while providing gifts for 70 families, according to its website.

The numbers jumped in 2021 and 2022, with the nonprofit providing over 1,000 trees, decorations and meals to Sonoma County families in need.

“It takes a village” to prepare Operation Christmas tree for the holiday season, Crowder said, with planning starting in late spring to early summer. She added the majority of funds for each year have to be raised by July.

She said the nonprofit would have to raise at least $150,000 to cover costs and need to hire two people to work on building the program throughout the year.

She said the program has grown so much since it started three years ago that it needs undivided time and attention.

A special pop-up event occurred last year at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in collaboration with Santa Rosa Police Department volunteers helping clients pick up their free trees, decorations and food while giving families the experience of visiting a Christmas tree farm.

The nonprofit also partnered with Haystack Farms of Sonoma and Farm to Pantry to provide trees, ornaments and food.

Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Matt Crosbie is in charge of the community engagement team and came in contact with Crowder to collaborate during the 2022 holiday season.

He said the police department is open to teaming up with Operation Christmas Tree again in the future.

“(The organization) is not just serving the city of Santa Rosa but they’re really targeting a lot of families through all of Sonoma County and we as a police department are supportive in that effort,” Crosbie said.

“My hope is that whatever resources are needed moving forward that there’s an avenue they can pursue so we can continue to help families in need, especially during the holiday season.”

Though the nonprofit is pressing pause for this year, Crowder said Friday that Operation Christmas Tree will still pursue ways to support the community during the upcoming holiday season while regrouping to prepare for 2024.

“Don’t stop giving because the need is just growing greater with each year that passes,” she said. “It’s a community project that’s dependent on the community’s participation. We have had amazing support, we have the best volunteers ... we just need more.”

You can reach Staff Writer Sara Edwards at 707-521-5487 or sara.edwards@pressdemocrat. com. On Twitter @sedwards380.