Give a Christmas donations help families across Burlington County
Corey Lutz is an out-of-work father with serious medical issues and twins with special needs requiring extra attention.
When Christmas approached last year the stay-at-home caregiver and head of a low-income family had no idea how he was going to afford putting anything under the tree for his 9-year-old girl and boy twins.
Then he said he read about the Burlington County Times' annual Give a Christmas.
More: Give a Christmas project returns to aid needy families
“This program truly has been a life saver on the holidays for us and provided smiles all around and enabled our twins to still believe in Christmas morning — and for that we appreciate you all,” Lutz said of the program donors and sponsors.“We fell on very hard times since COVID, having no house to call our own now and moving in with my mother and brother in Burlington, having COVID twice, my wife losing her job but recently and finally finding a new one and my son and daughter struggling in school.”
Since this year’s Give a Christmas started on Oct. 31, NJ211, which helps administer the program, has received more than 130 applications from families in need, an early total that is keeping pace with what was received a year ago at this time, according to Rae Duncan, the NJ211 quality assurance and training supervisor.
"I do think we will see an increase of applications this year and some are repeat applicants,” Duncan explained.
NJ211 is a 24-hour, statewide help line that connects people in need with assistance programs.
The Give a Christmas fundraising program will accept applications for assistance through Dec. 12, but there is no deadline for public donations.
Last year the program distributed $59,600 in gift cards to 330 eligible family applicants.
Donations this year will be distributed to needy families with children 17 years of age and younger as $50 Amazon e-gift cards, with a maximum of four gift cards per family.
Visit burlingtoncountytimes.com/GiveaChristmas for instructions on how to donate or how to apply to receive assistance. Whether one can afford only a few dollars or $50 or more, all donations will help. Donations received after Dec. 25 will be applied to next year's campaign.
Lutz has a message for prospective donors:
“I would say to people that are able to donate that every little bit helps. Not everyone can provide a Christmas for their children because they can fall on hard times and these programs like Give a Christmas truly help those in need and bring smiles to children's faces on Christmas morning.”
Burlington County residents can text GAC to 898211 to check their eligibility and file an online application. Eligibility is based on income and recipients may include, but are not limited to, parents with sick children, single family households, people struggling with addiction and people who are unemployed.
They also may phone the NJ211 helpline or visit its website at nj211.org
Carol Comegno loves telling stories about South Jersey life, history and military veterans for the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. If you have a story to share, call her at 856-486-2473 or email ccomegno@gannettnj.com.
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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Donations needed for Give a Christmas to help struggling families
