Help for the Holidays

Published: November 25, 2002



Many community-based organizations ask for donations to make the holidays special for the kids and families they serve, or to encourage contributions to support their work all during the year. Here are a bunch of opportunities for you to help out with a check or a toy. These are requests submitted by fellow readers of the Connect for Kids Weekly!

Arizona California Connecticut District of Columbia Florida
Georgia Illinois Kansas Maryland Michigan
Minnesota Missouri New York North Carolina Oklahoma
Oregon Pennsylvania Texas Washington Nationwide

Arizona
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Our Arizona elementary school has many special needs children whose families struggle on the holidays to provide gifts and food for the family. Any donations for food or gifts would be appreciated. Please contact Rosemary Drigan at rdrigan@cw.wesd.k12.az.us for information on how you can help.

California
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Yolo County Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (a program of Grandparents Advocacy Network of Northern California, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 organization) is asking for donations for children ages 3 to 16, to be given to the children at our holiday potluck on December 18th. We're anticipating that the donations will be in the form of gift certificates or gender/free and age/free items. Contact Sandy Weiss WeissSBK@cs.com.
Women Organizing Resources, Knowledge and Services (W.O.R.K.S.) is a nonprofit social service agency that currently operates two housing developments for low-income families and children in Pomona and in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles, Calif. We provide a place to call home for 150 families in need. We are currently seeking gifts to distribute to the children during the holidays as well as cash donations to help with our operating budget. Please contact Nancy Gomez at chemujer@yahoo.com for more information about how you can help. Access W.O.R.K.S.' Web site at http://www.worksusa.org.
The Lyon Street Parent Center and the city of Santa Ana are providing a Christmas party to the entire street on December 21, 2002, and we would like to provide a toy for every child who lives in theses apartment complexes. This is a low-income area with 2 or 3 families living in the same apartment, mostly Spanish speaking. We are looking for donations in toys. Contact Maria Halverson LYONCENTER@aol.com.

Community Counseling Service is a non-profit mental health organization serving impoverished families and children in downtown Los Angeles. We are seeking donations of new toys, games or books for our 2002 Holiday Toy Drive, where we will distribute gifts to the over 500 children we serve. For more information, please call (213) 481-7464.

Connecticut
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Youth-United for Survival is collecting holiday toys and gifts for children ages 8 to 16 in Connecticut who have experienced abuse or trauma. The toys will be distributed at two holiday parties serving over 120 children. For more information on Y-US or to find out how you can help, go to http://www.y-us.org.

District of Columbia
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
The Good Samaritan Foundation, a youth development program for high school students in Washington, DC seeks donations of gift cards from local retailers (i.e., Old Navy, Barnes & Noble and Tower Records). These cards would be given to the students in our program to purchase gifts for themselves. Individuals can donate cash, checks or make credit card donations to the Good Samaritan Foundation to go towards the purchasing of gift cards, or they can purchase the gift cards from the merchants themselves and send them to us. For more information please go to our Web site at http://www.gsf-dc.org or contact us at tbrower@gsf-dc.org.
The Children's Law Center makes sure that the abused, neglected and marginalized children in the District of Columbia have toys and new clothes at Christmas. Please contact Amy Miller at amiller@childrenslawcenter.org for information about how you can help.

Florida
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
The gift that keeps on giving: Sponsor a child for $50 to receive a year's worth of incentives for good grades, attendance and conduct. Call Communities In Schools of Miami at 305-252-5444 ext. 302. Thank you for helping kids prepare for life!
The Children's Home, Inc. works to provide Christmas gifts to over 2,000 children in Florida's Hillsborough County. Our children are special needs children placed into our agency program by the state. To learn more about The Children's Home, Inc., please visit this site at www.thechildrenshomeinc.com. For more information on how you can help this holiday season please contact Mark VanMeter at mvanmeter@tampachi.org or at (813) 855-4435, extension 2235.
Marion County Children's Advocacy Center in Florida is a 501(3)C organization that provides free therapy to children and families who have experienced abuse and/or have witnessed domestic violence. Our needs include gift bags, birthday candles, cake mixes and frosting. The children used to love receiving this on their birthday and the family enjoyed being able to bake together. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Laura Amatea at LauraAmatea@aol.com for more information.
Friends Together, Inc. is seeking Christmas gifts and school supplies for the families infected and affected by HIV/AIDS who will be attending their Christmas Party and Empowerment Retreat. Find out more information on how you can help online at http://www.friendstogether.org.

Georgia
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
CHRIS Rainbow Home has served more than 80 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or questioning homeless and runaway youth, age 16-21. The program provides the shelter, a disciplined household and therapeutic, educational and life skill services needed to turn these youths into self-sufficient, contributing members of the community. Those interested in more information on how to help are invited to call Edward Gray at 404-486-9034 ext 104 or edward.gray@chrishomes.org.

Illinois
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Spoon River College in Canton, Illinois provides books to the libraries for the annual Family Reading Night in November. Since our budgets have been decreased, donations to buy the books would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Phyllis Aicklen at paicklen@src.cc.il.us or at (309) 649-6204 to find out how you can help.
Located in the south suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, we are a special education program that looks to provide gifts for youth, ages birth to five, who have significant disabilities. Any holiday assistance would be welcome. For more information on how to help, please contact Cynthia Skelly at BIGSNOWE@aol.com.
Southern Seven Head Start serves 652 children in the southernmost 7 counties of Illinois—some of the poorest in the state. We are always looking for ways to reach out to these families. We would be grateful for children's toys for the holidays, cash contributions, gifts that perhaps could be used for our annual "Parent Appreciation Nights" held in April, etc. Please contact Kathy Reagor at s7kreagor@hotmail.com to find out more information on how you can help.

Kansas
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
KVC Behavioral HealthCare, a not-for-profit organization working to enrich and enhance the lives of children and their families by providing educational, mental health and social services, is seeking donors for its annual holiday giving program. KVC will provide gifts to over 500 children and youth from Eastern Kansas who have been removed from their home due to abuse and/or neglect. For information on how to support this effort contact Debra Burnham at dburnham@kvc.org. To learn more about KVC visit our website at www.kvc.org.
The Bourbon County Coalition is focused on fostering and supporting collaborative projects on behalf of children and families. Our web site is at www.charityadvantage.com/bbcoalition if you would like further information or just e-mail crossfield@classicnet.net

Maryland
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
The TASK Program at the Resource Parents Project provides training, advocacy and support for formal and informal relative caregivers of Baltimore City, Md., children who cannot live with their birth parents. Since many caregivers receive little financial assistance, their abilities to meet the needs of their kin children do not extend to any holiday celebrations and gift giving. For more information on how you can help please contact Angela Rave at Arave@catholiccharities-md.org or at (410) 385-0967.

Michigan
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Youth Education and Activities services 4,000 youth dispersed throughout seven counties in the rural Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Any assistance that can be provided would be appreciated. Please contact Allison Krebs at akrebs@saulttribe.net or (906) 635-7010 for more information about how you can help.
The goal of Success By 6 of Calvert County—an initiative of the United Way—is school readiness. We are helping put together gift baskets for families with young children, which will be distributed through public libraries and medical centers. We would like to include a hardbound age appropriate book in the baskets and are currently looking for resources to accomplish this. Please contact us via e-mail at successby6@chesapeake.net if you can help.

Minnesota
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
The North Star Binky Patrol is a Minnesota chapter of the national non-profit Binky Patrol. Volunteers make handmade blankets and we give them to children that have experienced trauma or illness, and children that are in foster care. Go to their Web site to find out how you can help this holiday season. http://www.binkypatrol.org

Missouri
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Putting Families First is a faith-based mentoring program whose primary goal is to help families transition from welfare-to-work by involving the faith community. Our families struggle through the year of commitment we ask for our program and generally have very little ability to provide Christmas for their children. Please contact Larry Billingsley at pff@iland.net or at (660) 829-3122 for more information on how you can help.

New York
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
FRIENDS, Inc. is a community-based, nonprofit organization serving children with serious emotional disturbances and their families in the South Bronx. We are currently seeking gifts for the holidays. Please e-mail jordana@medscape.com.
FRIENDS, Inc. is a community-based, nonprofit organization serving children with serious emotional disturbances and their families in the South Bronx. We are currently seeking gifts for the holidays. Please send information to
jordana@medscape.com

North Carolina
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Franklin-Granville-Vance Partnership for Children in Henderson, N.C. is seeking funds to replace reduced state funds in order to maintain Kinder Camp, a summer extension of Project Family Read, a program for preschool children who are not in regulated day care. The program has shown substantial impact on children's readiness for kindergarten. Please contact David J. Irvine at dairvine@vance.net for information on how you can help. Access our Web site at www.fgvpartnership.org.

Oklahoma
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Carter Seminary, a Native-American Boarding School operated by the Chickasaw Nation is home to approximately 70 students. One hundred percent of these students do not have stable homes and are extremely disadvantaged. We can receive tax-deductible donations through the Chickasaw Foundation a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. We will take any contribution: school supplies, holiday gifts or cash contributions. All three are continuous needs at Carter Seminary. Please contact Shannon Campbell at (580) 310-6620 for more information on how you can help.

Oregon
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Head Start of Lane County in Springfield, Ore., has families who have a need for unwrapped, new, non-violent toys, new clothes for boys and girls sizes 3-6 and new books for ages 4-6 years. Our Web site is www.head-start.lane.or.us. Please contact Nancy Maniago at nmaniago@head-start.lane.or.us for information about how you can help.

Pennsylvania
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
The Children's Home of Easton—a home for more than 140 children ages 9 to 18 years of age—has their 2002 Holiday Fund in progress. Access their Web site at http://www.thechildrenshome.org to find out ways you can help.

Texas
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Community Services YMCA Teen Parent Education Programs in Dallas assist young moms and dads in developing effective parenting skills, achieving educational goals and initiating plans for continued personal growth and economic security. Our programs seek to instill within our parents, their children and families the six character values of the YMCA: Respect, Responsibility, Trustworthiness, Caring Fairness and Citizenship. Please contact Liz Duncan at lizd@ymcadallas.org or at (972) 560-3892 to find out about ways you can help this holiday season.
The M.D. Anderson Family YMCA in Houston serves over 1,700 participants annually in a low-income minority neighborhood whose primary services focus on after-school, holiday, and summer camp, childcare and youth sports programs. All of our youth programs are subsidized and scholarships are provided to these families; assistance with toys/books and gift certificates for families or children ages 18 months to 17 years of age are needed this holiday season. For information about how to help, please contact Marie D. Arcos at (713) 697-0648 or at mariea@ymcahouston.org.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Fort Worth would be delighted to receive warm coats, shoes and toys this holiday season for our more than 7,000 kids living below poverty in an urban environment. The kids will feel even more special by receiving new items! Please contact Barb Reynolds at (817) 834-4711 or at breynolds@fortworthkids.org for information on how you can help this holiday season.
The Dallas Early Childhood Resource Institute is a new teen parent mentoring program. We are in need of office equipment, new baby clothes or items, a sofa/loveseat for a meeting room, bookselves, a van and monetary donations. We need mentors also. Contact literacy@swbell.net for more information.

Washington
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
Treehouse, giving foster kids a childhood...and a future in the greater Seattle area is seeking gift items and clothing for kids from birth to 18. It is easy to sponsor a drive for funds or gift items by checking the Web site www.treehouse4kids.org.
Vashon Youth And Family Services, Vashon Island's nonprofit mental health agency, sponsors an annual Holiday Toy Drive to serve more than 200 children and teens. Please contact Susan Bingham at BinghamC@msn.com or at (206) 463-6239 if you can help fill the many requests for coats, clothes and toiletries.

Nationwide
Type of Donation
money
clothes
books
toys
If you want to give a gift that helps a family achieve self-sufficiency in the developing world, think about giving a goat! Find out ways to donate for this holiday season at http://www.heifer.org
Most children excitedly await the holiday season. But for many children in foster care, the holidays compound the sadness and loneliness brought on by absent parents, sibling, pets and friends. FosterClub.com has designed a holiday greeting card for you to send to the children in foster care on your list. All proceeds benefit FosterClub, the national network for youth in foster care.
http://www.fosterclub.com/grownups/index.html
The Congressional Award Foundation, 501(C)3, recognizes and encourages service, initiative and achievement in young people age 14 to 23. We are solely dependent on charitable contributions, as we do not currently receive any federal money. Please contact Captain William E. Kelley at Kelley@congressionalaward.org or (202) 226-0130 for information about how you can help. You can also access our website at www.congressionalaward.org .
The igive.com website is a secure online shopping mall that donates up to 25 percent of every purchase to nonprofit organizations.
http://www.igive.com
The hungersite.com is an easy way to help fight hunger—just a click a day will work wonders!
http://www.hungersite.com
TLC Children's Center, Inc. consists of three group homes servicing the needs of children ages 6 to 10 and girls 13 to 18 focusing on those who are pregnant or who have babies. New Hope for Children & Families is a non-profit mental health facility providing coaching and service providers to at-risk children and youth. Find out information on how you can help this holiday season by contacting us at tlcchildrenscenter@yahoo.com.
RESULTS is a grassroots citizens' advocacy organization working to create the public and political will to end hunger and poverty. Our volunteer groups create systemic change by working directly with their Members of Congress to support the most effective programs and policies that are alleviating hunger and poverty, both nationally and internationally.www.results.org
Your donation can help CARE bring lasting victories over poverty to the world's poorest communities
https://ssl.charityweb.net/careusa/?Custom15=dlhtmldp1
For a limited time, you can receive the America’s Second Harvest calendar for a donation of $50 or more to this organization that represents food pantries around the country. http://www.secondharvest.org

The Second Annual Internet Toy DriveWe have partnered with the official U.S. Marines Toys for Tots Program to make it as easy as a couple of clicks for you to put a BIG smile on the face of a Needy Child in your community this Christmas.
http://www.internettoydrive.com/


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