Our Story
The Christmas Box International partners with local, national, and international communities and organizations to prevent child abuse and improve the quality of life for children, teens and young adults who have been abused, neglected, trafficked, or are facing homelessness.
Our mission is simple: every child deserves a childhood.
In 1996, founder and New York Times best-selling author Richard Paul Evans created a safe place for Utah’s children, a Christmas Box House, naming the charity after his first novel, The Christmas Box.
In 2020, we served 8,990 at-risk children. Our programs help at-risk youth by providing emergency shelter care, give a happy holiday season to children and youth, and serve teens transitioning out of foster care. We are constantly striving to help more kids and look to the community, businesses, and foundations for their ongoing support.
Staff
Celeste Edmunds
Executive Director
celeste@thechristmasbox.org
Heather McVey
Finance and Development Manager
heatherm@thechristmasbox.org
801-747-2201 ext. 106
Kristin Jensen
Programs Resource Specialist
kristin@thechristmasbox.org
801-747-2201 ext. 107
Julia Jensen
Office Assistant
admin@thechristmasbox.org
Board of Directors
Richard Paul Evans
Co-founder, Chairman, & President
New York Times Best-selling Author
Keri Evans
Co-founder & Small Business Owner
Douglas R. Short
Secretary, Executive Vice President, Vice-Chair of Executive Committee, & Chair of Program Planning Committee
Lynn Taylor
Chair of Finance & Audit Committee & Member of Executive Committee
Diane Glad
Chair of Public Relations Committee & Member of Executive Committee
Alan Smith
Chair of Fundraising Committee & Real Estate Agent, Holmes Homes
Kearston Cutrubus
Director, Cutrubus Motors, Inc. & Business Owner
Rich Post
Entrepreneur & Owner, Post Insurance Group