To the Editor:www.thenewtownfund.org.

The holidays are my favorite time of year, and every year, and they are especially gratifying because of the Holiday Basket program put on by The Newtown Fund. I want to reassure everyone in our community that any contributions to The Newtown Fund are spent directly in support of Newtown families and that there are no administrative costs to run the fund except for paper and postage for mailings. The fund was started in 1959. Our wonderful board of directors is made up of volunteers who are available for emergency requests from Social Services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Newtown Fund provides assistance when people fall through the cracks. For example, the fund pays for medical insurance when someone is incapacitated and can't get any more help from other sources or when a person needs extensive dental work and no insurance is available. The fund also offers a fuel assistance program. Newtown Social Services is responsible for screening all candidates. You can learn more about The Newtown Fund at

Our "main event" during the year is at holiday time. With the help of residents and organizations, The Newtown Fund provides food and gifts to Newtown families who qualify for assistance. We expect to be helping over 80 families this year, with volunteer participants "adopting" a family; buying individual gifts, food, or gift certificates; and making monetary contributions. We hope that you can help us make the holiday season a happy one for all of the people in our community who really need it.

Depot Day, the day the gifts and food are collected and distributed, will be held at Fraser Woods School on December 17. If you would like to volunteer on Depot Day we can always use help at the wrapping table, in the parking lot loading cars, in the gym organizing the baskets, in the kitchen, and delivering the baskets to the families.

To adopt a family or get more information, call Layne Lescault at 203-270-6481. Send your tax-deductible contributions to The Newtown Fund, PO Box 641, Newtown CT 06470. Come and deliver with us on December 17, starting at 7:30 am, at Fraser Woods.

Thank you in advance for your generosity and kindness. Newtown is a wonderful place to live.

Linda Bates, president, The Newtown Fund

Chairperson, Holiday Basket Program

PO Box 641, Newtown         October 24, 2016