Food, toys and donations needed: Ways to help in your community

First Parish Church Community Collection

YORK, Maine — On Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 10 to 11 a.m., First Parish Church in York resumes a community collection of non-perishable food items for the York Community Service Association Food Pantry. The collection point is 180 York Street at the curb in front of the Parish Office.  Suggested items include: small containers of cooking oil; small bags or boxes of sugar; boxed milk; canned peaches and mandarin oranges; canned carrots; Progresso soups. Non-perishable pantry items and monetary contributions are gratefully accepted as well. For more information or to volunteer: contact Linda Drew at p.l.drew79@me.com  or call 207-351-8141.

Friends of Mount Agamenticus chosen as Hannaford Bloomin’ 4 Good beneficiary 

YORK, Maine – The Friends of Mount Agamenticus group has been selected by the leadership at York Hannaford, located at 5 Hannaford Drive, York, Maine, as the beneficiary of the Hannaford Bloomin’ 4 Good Program for the month of November.

When you buy a Bloomin’ 4 Good Bouquet with the red circle sticker at York Hannaford, a $1 donation from every purchase goes toward supporting the Friends of Mount Agamenticus. The Hannaford Bloomin’ 4 Good Program, which launched in August 2021, is an easy way for shoppers to support nonprofit organizations in their community.

Operation Santa Claus call for sponsors and donors

CONCORD —  State employees are gearing up for the 62nd consecutive year of organizing Operation Santa Claus, a statewide program that coordinates with the Department of Health & Human Services to provide gifts for children receiving state services.

Now in its 62nd year, Operation Santa Claus serves more than 3,000 children across the state with more than 500,000 gifts. Dozens of retirees and volunteers from different state agencies work around the clock starting in the late summer months to ensure a successful year for OSC, founded by the State Employees’ Association in 1960. The success of this program is made possible with generous donations and sponsorships from members of the State Employees’ Association, the National Guard, community volunteers, and of course, anyone who wishes to help.

With fewer funds and more needy children, donations are more impactful than ever. Therefore, new sponsorships are being requested; if you are interested in sponsoring a child, direct contributions are best and can be made by visiting the State Employees’ Association website at https://seiu1984.org/osc/.

For more information on the Operation Santa Claus project, visit www.facebook.com/OperationSantaClausNH or www.operationsantanh.org. Help make this Christmas season memorable for New Hampshire’s children and families.

Volunteer your time at The Carriage Barn

KENSINGTON — The Carriage Barn Equine Adaptive Therapy Programs is looking for volunteers to assist with therapeutic horseback riding and carriage driving, fundraising, events, and fun activities.  Volunteers are needed at various times throughout the week to work with horses and clients.

Teens, adults and retirees welcome (volunteers must be at least 14 years old).  Experience and horse knowledge is a plus, but not required.  Are you a student with a community service requirement (Honor Society, Scouts, 4-H, graduation, etc)?  If so, we would love to hear from you.

Anyone interested in learning more can contact The Carriage Barn at 603-378-0140, email info.carriagebarn@comcast.net, or check out our website at www.carriage-barn.org.

Families First and Goodwin Community Health in need of gift cards

PORTSMOUTH — Families First and Goodwin Community Health are requesting gift cards for our patients and clients. Our staff works directly with clients to discern their needs and provide assistance. Your gift card donation helps us to meet our clients’ personal needs and remove barriers to living a healthy life. The following is a list of gift cards needed:

$10 gas cards, to get to medical appointments

$10 pharmacy cards, for medications or prenatal vitamins

$20 Wal-Mart cards

$25 grocery cards, for food and formula

$25 Amazon cards, for necessities for people with limited transportation

To donate any of these items, please contact Lisa Zhe at lzhe@familiesfirstseacoast.org.

Portsmouth Community Scholarships now accepting donations

PORTSMOUTH  —In December 2019, the Portsmouth City Council approved the recommendations of the Trustees of the Trust Funds to consolidate several underfunded accounts into five, newly-created Portsmouth Community Scholarship Funds that combined accounts with fund balances too small to generate enough investment interest to make annual awards.s.

The Trustees of the Trust Funds have established five community scholarship funds in support of the following areas of scholastic accomplishment and educational and vocational aspirations: Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Arts; Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Athletics; Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Higher Education, Generally; Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Technology/Trades; Portsmouth Community Scholarship – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math.

These scholarships are open to all students who are Portsmouth residents, not just to students at Portsmouth High School. The Trustees of the Trusts Funds has established a secure portal on the City of Portsmouth website that allows individuals and businesses to donate conveniently to the community scholarship funds.

To make a donation to any of the Portsmouth Community Scholarship Funds through the secure donation portal on the City website, click on the “Make a Donation” button in the middle of the CityofPortsmouth.com homepage, or go directly to https://www.cityofportsmouth.com/city/trustees-trust-funds-scholarships and select the scholarship fund you wish to support. Donations may be made on the site by electronic check (no fee) or by credit card (the 2.9% fee goes to the service provider and is not retained by the City). Check donations may also be mailed to Portsmouth Community Scholarships c/o Trustees of the Trust Funds, City Hall, One Junkins Ave., Portsmouth NH 03801. Donors receive a letter confirming tax deductibility for the amount of their donations, to the extent of the law.

Dover400 is fundraising

DOVER — Dover400 is currently underway with two fundraising campaigns, “$400 for 400,” an effort to solicit 400 donors at $400 to celebrate Dover’s 400th Anniversary; and also “The 1623 Society” with membership available for a donation of $1623.  All proceeds will support the activities planned throughout 2023. Donations may be sent to Dover400, 24 Chestnut St., Dover, NH 03820. For more information, please visit www.Dover400.org.

Portsmouth NH 400th, Inc. is fundraising

PORTSMOUTH – Deep into planning mode, the Portsmouth NH 400th Management Team members are paving the way to a vibrant community celebration next year and have started identifying Signature Events including a 400th Anniversary parade, a community dinner and a fall air show, along with Legacy Projects meant to make a statement about Portsmouth’s past, present and future.

Donations and sponsorships can be made via the online portal on the City website (click on the PNH400 logo at the top of the homepage, CityofPortsmouth.com) and at the PNH400 website PortsmouthNH400.org. Portsmouth NH 400th Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit organization, so all donations are tax deductible to the extent the law allows. Check donations, made out to Portsmouth NH 400th, Inc. should be mailed to PNH400 at One Junkins Avenue, Box PNH400, Portsmouth NH 03801.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Food, toys and donations needed: Ways to help in your community