Business

Warming Hearts and Homes

By Brady

Posted on December 21, 2023

Every year, The Great North Pole gives out their Helpful Holiday Boxes, which help provide necessities to families in need.

Great North Pole’s giving back spirit has helped over 4,000 homes

By The Numbers

$2,127,855
raised since 2017
4,375
households helped since 2017

In Fargo’s frosty climate, where brisk winds and frequent blizzards are the norm, the necessity for warm winter gear isn’t just a comfort—it’s crucial. Enter The Great North Pole, an organization that warms not just bodies but hearts, too.

How the Great North Pole Makes a Difference

The Great North Pole’s main focus is providing warm winter gear needed by students in the area so that they can better engage in their school programs. Many students in the area live within a 2-mile radius of the school they go to, which makes many of them ineligible for bus transportation to and from school—this requires them to walk.

“Considering the average morning temperatures from November 2022 to March 2023 fell in the teens to below zero and that the local area averages four to twelve blizzards per year, having high-quality winter wear is a necessity to get to and from school and to be able to participate in activities like recess,” said Great North Pole Executive Director Shannon Thornton. “As temperatures decline, so does attendance. Often, this is due to families who are at or below the poverty level not having the financial resources to outfit their children or themselves properly to make the daily walk to and from school.”

“The Great North Pole’s Mission is to help children and families in need in Cass and Clay County,” Thorton said. “Our goal is to bring joy and the spirit of Christmas to every household we touch. We are able to do this through our generous donors, national and local corporate sponsorships, other local nonprofits, and hundreds of volunteers from our community.”

Our program touches many lives from the children and their families to the teachers, counselors, and social workers at their schools. One mother sent us a thank you for the Downy she received, stating it gave her confidence going into a job interview she had because she
knew she smelled fresh and clean. One of the counselors stated that absenteeism dropped for several children due to not only the coats the children received but also because the parent had also received a coat warm enough for her to be able to walk her elementary-aged children to and from school. Another family sent a thank you stating they were able to provide a gift at Christmas themselves for the first time because they didn’t have to choose between having food on the table or having a present for their child.
Executive Director, Shannon Thornton

One of the Great North Poles’ key initiatives is their Helpful Holiday Boxes. These boxes help to subsidize families’ monthly expenses for basic needs items in the month of December to help bring joy and the spirit of Christmas to every household they touch. These boxes often include warm winter gear, pantry items, personal and household basic needs products, and supplies.

“To distribute goods we partner with local counselors and social workers in the Fargo, West Fargo, and Moorhead school districts,” Thornton said. “Each school receives a limited number of students/ families to enroll who are on the Federal Free/Reduced lunch program and fall at or below the poverty level. This ensures the students and their families who are in the most need are enrolled in our program. We also partner with local nonprofit charities who work with children and families in need such as the YWCA, the Jeremiah Program, CCRI, and The Village Family Services.”

“Our program touches many lives from the children and families to the teachers, counselors, and social workers at their schools,” Thorton said. “One mother sent us a thank you for the Downy she received, stating it gave her confidence going into a job interview she had because she knew she smelled fresh and clean. One of the counselors stated that absenteeism dropped for several children due to not only the coats the children received but also because the parent had also received a coat warm enough for her to be able to walk her elementary-aged children to and from school. Another family sent a thank you stating they were able to provide a gift at Christmas themselves for the first time because they didn’t have to choose between having food on the table or having a present for their child.”