Annual Holiday Basket Program Swings Into Action

Give the gift of community support this year. The Newtown Fund’s annual Holiday Basket Program is beginning again for families that qualify for assistance, and residents who anonymously adopt those families.

“We receive wish lists of things families need; clothes, food, gifts,” said Chairperson Linda Bates. With an estimated 80 families in need, The Newtown Fund is again asking residents to help families through this holiday season. All adoption baskets and goods will culminate on Delivery Day at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 15. Drop off is before 9 am. Deliveries begin at 11:30 am. Volunteers will also be needed that day at the wrapping table, in the parking lot loading cars, and delivering the baskets to needy families.

Those seeking assistance should contact Newtown Social Services to qualify for the Holiday Basket Program at 203-270-4330 and fill out an application form as soon as possible. Social Services is responsible for screening all candidates. Contact Rick Mazzariello at 203-270-9190 to sign up to adopt a family. 

Despite what can often be a big monetary commitment for those who adopt, purchasing groceries, gifts, clothes, and more, Ms Bates said, “Every year, so far, we have gotten every single family adopted.” She has also witnessed the “gut wrenching” results as baskets are delivered.

“People are emotional and we get emotional; people tell us we are their Christmas and they would not have had a Christmas without us,” she said.

Holiday baskets also include gift certificates for gas, shoes, food, which depend on monetary donations. Send contributions to The Newtown Fund, PO Box 641, Newtown CT 06470.

Reminding residents of the four ways to help, Ms Bates noted that people can adopt a family, make a financial contribution, donate clothing, blankets, food, new toys, or help out on Delivery Day.

Any contributions to the Newtown Fund are spent directly in Newtown. The board is made up of volunteers who are available for emergency requests from Social Services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The fund pays for medical insurance when someone is incapacitated and can’t get any more help from other sources, or when a young person needs extensive dental work and no insurance is available. A fuel assistance fund is also available.

The Newtown Fund is a nonprofit organization operated completely by volunteers and funded through donations. The fund gives money to the town’s Social Services director to provide emergency assistance (heating oil, electricity, kerosene) to Newtown residents; food/clothing vouchers; a perpetual fund for displaced homemakers; and an annual holiday basket program that provides food and gifts for needy local families.

The fund also serves as a repository for money collected in fundraising events held by other organizations to benefit individuals in need of medical and other assistance. In former years The Newtown Fund provided seed money for the town to hire its first social worker, and for the establishment of Newtown Youth Services and Family Counseling Center of Newtown, now combined as Newtown Youth & Family Services, The Children’s Adventure Center, Newtown Senior Center, and Nunnawauk Meadows.