Courier, Kiwanis Give A Christmas fund drive kicks off for holiday season

Santa's elves could use some helpers. They are gearing up for their busiest time of year and know just how Bucks County residents can support them: Give A Christmas.

The annual Bucks County Courier Times and Intelligencer drives with their nonprofit partners to help needy area residents enjoy their holidays begins now.

This will be the 65th year for the Courier's partnership with the Levittown-Bristol Kiwanis Club to raise funds through the drive, which has a goal this year of $125,000. Last year, some 3,835 vouchers were distributed and some 2,505 families were helped with the $113,372 donated by readers and the community.

Since its inception in 1958, the drive has collected more than $5.37 million.

More: Help Give A Christmas to Bucks County neighbors in need

"Our club has been very excited working on this year's Give A Christmas campaign. The holidays are a very difficult and stressful time for many families.

"With the high cost of food and gas and maintaining a household there is often little money left for any extras. It is a struggle for some to put a decent holiday meal on the table and even more difficult to put gifts under the tree," said Mary Berman, the Kiwanis drive coordinator. "The Give A Christmas campaign shows the real meaning of Christmas when you see the generosity from this community helping their neighbors that are in need. "

Courier Times and Intell Editor Danielle Camilli said "Give A Christmas is the best of Bucks County at the holidays. For decades, even in the hardest of times, our community has come out and supported their neighbors in need. We again are honored to be a part of the effort with our nonprofit partners.

"What I especially love about Give A Christmas is that all the money raised stays right here in Bucks and directly serves the needs of the families who live and work here. We wish everyone a happy holiday season and thank them for their generous support this year."

Berman said that the Kiwanis collect the names of children from area school districts and parochial schools whose families are interested in participating and receive the names of seniors and others in need through letter requests.

Vouchers for families with children are the top priority and are distributed through the schools.

"Christmas magic occurs every year when each one of us becomes Santa Claus by giving a donation," Berman said.

The vouchers are in $35 increment and can be used by the recipients at area stores where they area honored, including:

• Acme Markets - New Falls Road, Levittown; Bristol Road, Bensalem; and Second Street Pike, Richboro. Account: 178891.

• Redner's Market - Kinghts Road, Bensalem and 1361 E. Lincoln Highway, Langhorne.

• All Fresh Supermarket, Pond Street, Bristol.

• Burlington - 2375 E. Lincoln Highway, Langhorne, and 1563 Franklin Mills Circle, Philadelphia.

• Barnes & Noble, 300 Neshaminy Mall, Bensalem.

How to help

Send donations to Give A Christmas, P.O. Box 862, Levittown, PA 19058.

Make checks payable to Give A Christmas and please include the donation form found in print in the daily newspaper or available for download here. If you don’t have the form, please send a note with your donation that includes your name, town, phone number (not for publication), donation amount and any message you wish to have published with your gift. Also indicate how you wish your name to be listed or if your donation is anonymous.

To make donations online:

How to receive help

Submit names, addresses and circumstances of those in need in writing. Please print the child's full name, parent/guardian's full name, age, grade and school district. Send to: Give A Christmas, P.O. Box 841, Levittown, PA 19058.

To contact the Levittown-Bristol Kiwanis Club with an inquiry about Give A Christmas help, email lbkgiveachristmas@gmail.com.

To contact the newspaper for a question about publication of a donation, contact Editor Danielle Camilli at dcamilli@theintell.com. Please note that while we do publish all donations, we do not guarantee publication on a certain day. Donor lists will publish in print only on Sundays.

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Kiwanis and Bucks County Courier Times launch Give A Christmas 2023