Holiday Basket Program

Needs Help Now

To the Editor:

I am sure that most of the residents of Newtown are at least a little bit familiar with the Newtown Fund’s Holiday Basket Program. The Bee is so kind every year to keep running weekly articles to keep us in your minds and hopefully spur you to give in some way to the families in town who need so much. The fund helps these families all year long with emergency donations to social services but this is the time that we can all do the most.

For at least the past 15 years my family and I have looked forward to the holidays not only for the wonderful fellowship and presents they bring but also for the Holiday Basket Delivery Day sponsored by the Newtown Fund. My daughter and many of the daughters and sons of the members of the fund have been helping on Depot, now Delivery, Day — the day the deliveries are made the sponsored families — since they were small children. It has become a cherished part of the holidays and my personal favorite. We see many of the same Newtown residents helping year after year.

I am writing to The Bee because the monetary contributions are down this year by 50 percent. This shortfall couldn’t have come at a worse time. This year, for the first time, we decided that the fund would supply gift certificates for food instead of asking the people who adopt a family to provide it. We did this because the cost of adopting a family has become so expensive and families can purchase the food they prefer. It is also easier to deliver the gifts without the added bulk of the food. In past years we have also given each family gift certificates for shoes, gas, and a department store.  We are many thousands of dollars short of our goal with less than ten days to go. There are over 165 people in town who need your help to have a happy holiday.

I hope that when the community hears of our need there will be a response. Please send your donations to The Newtown Fund, PO Box 641, Newtown, CT 06470. You can also drop off your checks to Stockwell & Bates at 30 Church Hill Road. I want to warn you though — if you get involved and experience the warmth and wonder of giving to people less fortunate you will become hooked as we have. It is truly what the holidays should be about.

Thank you and Happy Holidays,

Linda Bates,

Chairperson Holiday Basket Program

30 Church Hill Road, Newtown                               December 5, 2007