Each year, the Foundation sponsors The Ruth Sokolof Christmas Party for Blind and Visually Impaired Children, with funding provided by the Karen Sokolof Javitch Charitable Trust.
The party provides children with an independent holiday shopping experience and allows them to develop social skills through interactions with volunteers and mall and store employees.
Party history
In 1958, Ruth Sokolof and Bernice Wolfson helped establish the Children's Sight Center pre-school for children with visual impairments at the Beth El Jewish Synagogue in Omaha. They began sponsoring Christmas parties in 1960 in order to give their students an opportunity to enjoy the gift of giving at Christmas time. Each of their students was given $5 and taken shopping so they could buy gifts for their family and friends.
Ruth funded the party until her death in 1982, when her husband, Phil Sokolof, continued to fund the party in Ruth's memory. Since Phil's death in 2004, his daughter, Karen Sokolof Javitch, has carried on the tradition.
The Christmas Party and the related gift card distribution has grown from helping eight children in 1960 to assisting over 220 children in 2024.
The party
The party is held annually on the second Sunday in December at the Westroads Mall in Omaha. The Foundation pairs each shopper with high school student volunteers, and gives each shopper $100 in gift cards to complete their shopping. The shopper and the volunteers tour the mall, purchase gifts, wrap them, and enjoy lunch — all at no cost.
Any blind or visually impaired Nebraska child receiving school vision services between the ages of 5 and 18 is eligible to attend the party. The Foundation sends information regarding the party to every eligible child in its database during November of each year. If you know of an eligible child who would like to attend, please contact us so that we can include the child in our database.
Volunteers
The success of the party depends heavily on the efforts of volunteers. The Foundation recruits high school volunteers from Omaha metro area high school service organizations to act as "shopping buddies" for our shoppers. The party also benefits from adult volunteers who help with set-up and clean up and oversee wrapping and food service at the party. If you would like to volunteer for the party, please contact us.
Greater Nebraska Christmas Gift Card Distribution
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 Christmas Party was cancelled. In lieu of the party, the Foundation sponsored a 2020 Christmas Gift Card Distribution, distributing over 200 $100 gift cards to blind or visually impaired children throughout the State of Nebraska. Due to the success of the distribution in 2020, the Foundation has in subsequent years continued the gift card distribution for Greater Nebraska children (those who live more than a 45-minute drive from the Westroads Mall in Omaha).