The Newtown Fund is asking community members to help make the holidays special for local residents in need by donating to the annual Holiday Basket Program.

Individuals, families, and groups are needed to make a financial donation to help provide households in need with a holiday meal and gifts for their family members. The Holiday Basket Program is a community-wide effort organized by The Newtown Fund each year.

Linda Bates, president of The Newtown Fund, said holiday baskets were provided to 93 households in Newtown last year.

“In addition to 104 adults, those households included 80 children and 56 seniors,” Bates added. “Due to the sharply rising cost of living we anticipate that this year we will have even more families in need of assistance.

Baskets will be delivered to families on December 16. There is still time, according to Newtown Fund representatives, “to think about how you can help bring joy to a family in need during the holidays,” she said.

At this time all families have been adopted, so most requests will be filled. The Fund is hoping to receive additional financial donations, however.

“We don’t need clothing or toys or anything else like that,” Bates told The Newtown Bee December 5. “We don’t have a way to parcel them out.

“What we would like,” she continued, “are donations that will help cover gift cards, which are added to the ‘baskets’ we give to each family.”

Tax-deductible checks can be made payable to The Newtown Fund and mailed to PO Box 641, Newtown CT 06470-0641. Donations can also be done online at thenewtownfund.org.

The Newtown Fund serves the crisis needs of individuals and families in the Newtown community who are looking for somewhere to turn. Incorporated in April 1959 and founded by Joseph Chase and the Reverend Paul Cullens to provide emergency relief to Newtown citizens in need, The Newtown Fund is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization and therefore, all donations are tax deductible.