WHAT  WE  DO

_____________________________________________________

Holiday Giving

Every year at the beginning of September we start gearing up for our annual “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” holiday giving drive. The Southbury Social Services Department identifies families in the community who are needing a hand with the heavy purchases in the winter holidays.  Teaming up with Southbury residents, churches, schools, organizations, and businesses, we provide a full set of new, warm winter clothing, as well as books, toys, and holiday necessities, to each of the children identified.

Individuals and groups wishing to join in holiday giving have a number of options to choose from.

1. 1. 1. Sponsor A Child: Each child on our list receives two outfits, a set of pjs, a warm sweater or fleece jacket, a hat and gloves, a set of underwear, and socks, as well as boots or winter coats as needed. Individuals or groups may sign up to provide one, or some, or all, of the items on the needed list for the child they are sponsoring.
      2. Toys and More:  Every year we team up with the Southbury Police Department’s Christmas Toy Drive to put smiles on children’s faces. The items most in need are: toys for all ages, legos, board games, picture books for young children, chapter books for older children, art and school supplies, sports equipment, sleeping bags for children, sports bags, basketballs, soccer balls and footballs,  bed and bath linens, blankets, fleece throws, and donated gift wrap.
      3. We also collect monetary and gift-card donations from individuals, community groups, and local businesses, to help us make sure that every family’s need list is filled.
      4. Coordinating with the Southbury Senior Center we provide funding for their Annual Holiday Cheer Baskets. Neighbors wishing to give to our elder community are welcome to earmark their gift for this branch of our program.
      5. Volunteers are the very heart of our work, and every holiday season we welcome the assistance of dozens of volunteers from churches, schools, businesses, and community groups as well as many town residents. Between the first and fifteenth of December, Southbury Needy Fund bagging parties are the place to be!

 

Our Work Year Round

While the Holiday Giving Drive is our most visible effort, we are here throughout the year to help neighbors in our community.

When Southbury Social Services, churches, or schools become aware of a specific emergency need for a child or household in our community, we are the organization to whom they send referrals, to help bridge the family’s budget gap. Items we assist with include:

• Unexpected medical or housing expenses.
• Unforeseen repair needs for car, appliance, or home.
• Fees for school activities like band, sports, or field trips.
• Fees for Parks and Recreation programs that afford kids a safe and enriching summer daytime activity while parents are at work.
• Other exigent expenses that families may face.

In addition to helping individual families, the Southbury Needy Fund supports our town’s Food Bank by contributing funds to the summer lunch program for children.   Outreach also includes providing churches with gas and food gift cards for parishioners who need assistance.

How We Do It

The generosity of individuals, schools, churches, community organizations, fundraisers, workplace matching-giving programs, and local small businesses all help to make this year-round community assistance possible.

For our year-round work, we welcome the following types of donations at any time:

1. 1. 1. One time monetary gifts
      2. Recurring monetary gifts

 

Come Join Us and Be A Part of It!