Charity Newsies to return to Franklin County intersections Dec. 10

Gary Seman Jr., ThisWeek
·2 min read
Kevin Patterson is drive chairperson of Charity Newsies in Clintonville. Volunteers of the organization are to return to Franklin County intersections Dec. 10 to seek donations.
Kevin Patterson is drive chairperson of Charity Newsies in Clintonville. Volunteers of the organization are to return to Franklin County intersections Dec. 10 to seek donations.

The white-jumpsuit brigade once again is to take to Franklin County intersections Dec. 10, handing out special newspapers and collecting money for Charity Newsies.

Volunteers for the Clintonville-based nonprofit are to resume their previous collection methods, previously scuttled because of COVID.

"We're back on the streets," said Subha Lembach, executive director of the organization.

This year, volunteers are to return to 50 intersections.

Last year, there were 12 drive-thru locations, where patrons could pull up and donate. The previous year, the number of collection sites was winnowed down to 19 and volunteers accepted credit-card donations.

"While the generous support of central Ohio definitely came through over the past two years, we are looking forward to returning to solicit donations at the corners, as we have been doing for well over 100 years, so that we can clothe even more children in Franklin County, especially as the number of kids needing our services continues to grow," drive chairperson Kevin Patterson said.

"The drive is not just a critical part of the budget of Charity Newsies, but it is a way for us to engage our friends, our neighbors, our community here in Franklin County to invest in kids and to support an important basic need for our school kids," Lembach added.

Here are the big takeaways from the Charity Newsies' annual drive:

  • Drive year: 115th annual

  • Times and date: 7 a.m. Dec. 10

  • Number of intersections: 50, with more than 300 volunteers involved

  • How do patrons pay? People can donate at the corner, via the organization's website – charitynewsies.org – or the QR code available at the corners and on the Newsies' newspaper.

  • About the newspaper: The paper features a variety of historical and current Newsies' events and highlights several of Charity Newsies’ community partners.

  • Fundraising goals: $300,000, or enough to clothe 2,000 children

gseman@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekGary

This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Charity Newsies to return to Franklin County intersections Dec. 10