Martin Volunteers

White Doves Holiday Project

A major project of Martin Volunteers each year is the White Doves Holiday Project. In 2007, White Doves conducted its 19th year of bringing smiles, toys and food to thousands of people.

About White Doves

Video from 2007 White Doves Holiday project
(right click and save to your computer)

Families are referred to White Doves by social service agencies, schools and faith-based groups. They receive the staples for a holiday meal and toys for their children.

In 2007: White Doves served 1,239 families with 2,975 children throughout Martin County. Distribution days were Dec. 15 in Indiantown and Dec. 19-20 in Stuart.

VOLUNTEERS: About 150 volunteers -- ranging from Boy Scouts to business people to Retired and Senior Volunteer Program members -- devote thousands of hours to the White Doves Holiday Project. Volunteer roles range from sorting toys and food, decorating the warehouse, organizing deliveries, helping clients and entering data.

SCOUTING FOR FOOD: On Nov. 10 members of the Boy Scouts of America - Gulf Stream Council collected 8 tons of nonperishable food and delivered it to the White Doves warehouse at the Martin County Fairgrounds. Read more >>

TOYS FOR TOTS: White Doves is sanctioned as the local coordinating organization for the collection of Toys for Tots in Martin County. Thanks go to the dozens of businesses serve as collection points and the thousands of people who donate toys. In 2007, the sites collected 12,359 toys.

TOM AND LISA HALEY: The Haleys have been involved in White Doves for many years, helping to distribute turkeys, hams and toys. They have been the co-chairs of the White Doves Holiday Project since 2005. Tom is the owner of Buy the Hour Builders, and Lisa owns Body Sculpting of South Florida.

GEORGE PHILLIPS: George Phillips, another veteran White Doves volunteer has been the White Doves warehouse manager since 2005. Throughout November and December, George spends long hours at the warehouse, organizing goods and volunteers, handling deliveries and other logistics.

ADOPTERS: More than 100 individuals, families or groups adopt at least one White Doves family each year. This includes several groups from local high schools. Also, the community of Harbour Ridge adopts all the families of Hope Rural School in Indiantown.

Here are some donors, volunteers and in-kind contributors of note for the 2007 White Doves Holiday Project:

• ARC of Martin County

• Armellini Express Lines

• Bank of America

• Beth Elias, Channel 5

• Boy Scouts of America (Scouting for Food drive)

• Braswell Bail Bonds

• Buy the Hour Builders

• Century 21 Horizons Properties

• Dance ‘N Sound (grand opening entertainment)

• Eventmakers International

• Evergreen Club

• Florida Arts & Dance

• Gary Insurance Agency & Associates

• Hidden Harbour residents (volunteers)

• Hospice of the Treasure Coast

• Jeepers Jeep Club (major toy drive)

• Loblolly communities (cereal drive)

• Marine Corps League

• Martin County Fair Association

• Martin County Fire Rescue

• Martin County Sheriff's Office

• Palm Cove

• Publix Super Markets

• Realtors Association (major toy drive)

• Smartbox

• Steinger, Iscoe & Greene

• Stuart Police Department

• Stuart Sunrise Rotary Club

• Travis Pest Control

• Vought Aircraft Industries

• W&W Lumber

• Warfield Elementary School Chorus

• Waste Management

• White Doves Angel (major donation for toys)

HOW IT WORKS

The White Doves Holiday Project is hard at work long before the holiday season, assembling the list of families to be served and arranging the logistics of collecting, sorting and distributing food and gifts.

More than 80 agencies, schools and churches identify families who need help at holiday time. 

Once the families are referred, they are matched with individuals, groups and organizations willing to “adopt” the family and provide for them. Those that are not adopted receive food and toys from either the Indiantown or the Stuart location. On distribution days, volunteers help families “shop” for free for toys to give their children, ages 0-15. Families also receive a bag of groceries containing the staples for a holiday meal and other items.

HISTORY

The White Doves Holiday Project began in 1988, with 838 families served. In 1993, after Hurricane Andrew, the number of families served reached an all-time high of 1,600. In recent years, White Doves has averaged about 1,200 families annually.

2007: 1,239 families with 2,975 children.

2006: 1,206 families with 3,087 children. Read more >>

2005: 1,318 families with 3,196 children. Read more >>

2004: 1,295 families served, including 2,799 children.
See Channel 2 report from December 2004 >>
(video file in .wmv format)

2003: 1,190 families served, including 2,475 children

For more information about White Doves,
contact project coordinator Anne Lalley at (772) 220-4472, ext. 232 or alalley@martinvolunteers.org