Give a Christmas project returns to aid needy families

The Give a Christmas project is back again this year to help needy families better celebrate and enjoy the holiday season as it has for more than a half century.The Burlington County Times and NJ211— a 24-hour, nonprofit information and referral service that connects people in need with community resources providing life necessities — are partnering again to aid families in need during the end-of-year holidays.

The Give a Christmas fundraising program is accepting applications for assistance through Dec. 5. There is no deadline for donations.

Last year the program distributed $59,600 in gift cards to 330 eligible family applicants.

Donations will be distributed this year in the form of $50 Amazon e-gift cards, with a maximum of four gift cards totaling $200 per family. Distribution will begin around mid-November.

“We already are receiving calls from some repeat recipients of Give a Christmas cards who depend on the program,” said NJ211 Chief Operating Officer Kevin Donahue, whose organization also handles the statewide utility assistance and homelessness hotlines.

“For many low-income working and working families who face a choice of putting food on the table or buying gifts to put under the Christmas tree for their kids, this program makes the holiday easier and can bring joy to both children and their parents,” Donahue said.

“Though the coronavirus pandemic is more under control now after nearly three years, it has had lingering effects and there are also high cost-of-living issues in New Jersey.”

"This year NJ211 has seen increased calls for help across all of its various hotlines,” Donahue said.

The utility assistance hotline for low-and moderate-income families has seen a record number of request this year with a jump of about 20 percent and the incidence of first-time homelessness has increased as well, according to Donahue.

Since January, NJ 211 has been contacted more than 1.1 million times for help with food, housing, utility assistance, healthcare and more, he said.

"Some of those families also would be eligible for Give a Christmas gift cards because there are huge funding gaps in many social service programs and never enough money to go around," Donahue noted.

Since the Give a Christmas program began in 1968, more than $3 million has been donated. Any donation amount is welcome. Individual gifts have ranged from a few dollars to $10,000.

"The Burlington County Times is proud to kick off year 54 of the Give a Christmas program. Our goal is to help families in need during the holidays and our readers have stepped up every year to help,” said Audrrey Harvin, Burlington County Times executive editor.

“We've had to make some changes to the program over the years to accommodate administrative challenges, but we remain committed to helping those that need it most. There were some issues last year with donations reaching us in a timely manner” she explained.“We appreciate your patience and understanding as we worked through the problems. Most of all, we appreciate all those who contribute and those who work behind the scenes to make this program a success."

Give a Christmas has helped families like those of Janet Lucky of Willingboro, a mother of four who has gone through a divorce and has had job and other issues.“The gift cards have made my Christmas every year so I could afford to get the kids gifts and fill their stockings. Last year the kids were super excited because they knew I was struggling and they could not believe they got gifts, so we were blessed,” said the mom, who now works as a part-time time caregiver and who plans to reapply this year.

Burlington County residents who require assistance 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.

Those in need may phone the NJ211 helpline but Donahue also urged families to visit its website at www.nj211.org for more information.

Donahue said a family can receive one gift card per child, with a maximum of four gift cards. If a family has less than four children, parents can also receive one gift card between them.

For more information about Give a Christmas, including how to apply and how to donate, visit burlingtoncountytimes.com/GiveaChristmas

For questions about the Give a Christmas program, contact county times Executive Editor Audrey Harvin at aharvin@gannett.com

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: Burlington County Times and NJ 211 partner to help needy families