AHA Launches Campaign to Provide Gifts, Supplies to Florida Families for the Holidays

For Immediate Release

Contact: David Reinbold, dreinbold@americanhumanist.org

(Dec. 2, 2024, Washington, D.C.) — Today, the American Humanist Association is launching its Stop Ron’s War on Christmas campaign to provide holiday gifts and supplies to Florida families who have been affected by the disastrous economic and healthcare policies of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis is making the holiday season – and everyday essentials – more difficult for Florida families to afford due to several policies, including:

Refusing $250 million in federal EBT funding that could support hungry, low-income children in Florida
Ending insurance coverage for thousands of Florida children through the Florida KidCare program
Rejecting over $11 billion in federal funding that could help low-income Florida families

The oft-recited rallying cry from Christian Nationalists during the months of November and December is that humanists, atheists, and secular people are offended by people celebrating Christmas. That’s a lie.

And with low-income families in Florida being left in the cold from the DeSantis administration, we have to wonder: Who is really waging a war on Christmas?

Humanists believe in people’s right to worship however they want, or not at all, and to celebrate any holiday that aligns with their personal values (many humanists do celebrate Christmas). We also care about humanist values: taking care of those in need, treating people fairly, and recognizing the dignity of every person.

That’s why we’re trying to do our part to help Florida families this holiday season. Throughout December, we will be raising funds to purchase Christmas gifts and everyday supplies for Florida families in need. We will be working with local AHA chapters in Florida to distribute these donations.

“For years, the right-wing media has accused us of being offended by people celebrating Christmas. That’s absurd,” said AHA Executive Director, Fish Stark. “The holidays should be a time for family and generosity – not a time when parents are stressed about how they’re going to afford gifts, or even basic necessities. Meanwhile, Ron DeSantis is more interested in pushing his values on Florida families, banning books while cutting food aid and medical care for low-income kids. We’re calling out sanctimonious Ron the Grinch for his war on Christmas.”

To learn more about our Stop Ron’s War on Christmas campaign, and ways that you can help provide relief for Florida families this holiday season, visit ronswaronchristmas.com.

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The American Humanist Association (AHA) works to protect the rights of humanists, atheists, and other nontheistic Americans. The AHA advances the ethical and life-affirming worldview of humanism, which—without beliefs in gods or other supernatural forces—encourages individuals to live informed and meaningful lives that aspire to the greater good of humanity.