Donations accepted until ‘Little Christmas’ Jan. 6
Published December 24, 2019
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — Wow, it’s already Christmas eve and that means the 30th annual Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund (NHNF) campaign to benefit the year-round charitable work of Christian Community Service (CCS) is entering its final push.
With Thanksgiving falling so late this year coupled with Christmas falling in the middle of the week, we’ve had only 3 1/2 weeks to promote the 2019 fund, so we’re going to extend acceptance of donations until “Little Christmas” on Monday, January 6.
Also known as “The Feast of the Epiphany,” January 6 is the twelfth day of Christmas (you may be familiar with the song). In some western Christian traditions, this feast day celebrates the “revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ” and marks the arrival of the wise men, or Magi, who brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus.
Donations this week totaled $4,635 which brings the fund to $22,284 thanks to the generosity of our readers. The family of Timothy Alexander Chaloux topped this week’s donor list with a donation of $1,000 in his memory this Christmas season. We thank each and every donor for their generosity.
CCS—Who we are
Here’s some additional background on the NHNF’s beneficiary, Christian Community Service (CCS), the organization that runs the North Reading Food Pantry and provides many other essential safety net services for townspeople in need.
“The Christian Community Service Organization of North Reading (CCS) is a non-profit, ecumenical, charitable 501(c)(3) organization that was established to provide food and temporary financial assistance for basic necessities to local persons in their time of need,” explains CCS Chairman Ellen Wiklanski.
“CCS works with the clergy from all the churches who help to identify people in need. Both CCS and the North Reading Food Pantry rely upon the generosity the community at large, and CCS has a direct commitment and responsibility to the community it serves. Contributing to CCS and the Food Pantry through the Transcript’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund (NHNF) is a concrete way that the people of North Reading can help neighbors keep their homes and meet other financial obligations,” she adds.
Eligibility to use the pantry is North Reading residency or recommendation from clergy in a North Reading church. To quality for financial assistance, clients must also use the Food Pantry, which enables them to stretch their household budget by providing non-perishable food and other items as well as fresh produce and frozen meats.
While recommendations for assistance is typically provided through the local clergy, as an ecumenical organization, CCS provides assistance to townspeople in need regardless of their religious affiliation, if any.
Wiklanski stresses that all financial support is paid directly to the entity by CCS on behalf of the household experiencing an emergency need, such as to a landlord for rent, to a utility company that is ready to terminate service, for emergency car repairs that will enable the client to continue to get to their job and provide for their family, etc. “No money is ever given directly to the client,” she said.
“Our clients who use the Food Pantry often say that the food they receive each month allows them to continue to live in North Reading. This assistance also provides the link between being on the edge financially and becoming successful, independent members of the community,” Wiklanski believes.
Funds from the Transcript’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor campaign allow the Food Pantry to buy groceries as well as taxable items, such as cleaning supplies and personal care items, throughout the year.
Year after year, thanks to the generosity of the Transcript’s readers, the Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund has provided CCS with its most significant source of direct aid for 30 years.
A huge factor for this remains the trust our readers and the Transcript have long established with CCS due to the careful stewardship with which this all-volunteer organization has operated throughout the years. Not one penny donated to this group has ever gone toward a salary — be it through the NHNF or any other drive in the community that benefits CCS or the Food Pantry — because it truly functions as a 100 percent all-volunteer entity. This is a rarity, even among nonprofits. Your generous donations directly benefit your neighbors in need.
Last chance to do something nice, twice
Need a last minute gift idea? Hurry down today to the Horseshoe Grille, 226 Main St., to purchase gift cards to their restaurant (open on Christmas eve from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Christmas day). For every $100 spent during the holidays, you’ll receive a $20 gift certificate for your own use, but if you opt to donate the face value of that $20 gift certificate to the Transcript’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund, Horseshoe Grille proprietors Pat and Kathi Lee will also match your gift! In this way you’ll be doing something nice, twice.
At the conclusion of their holiday gift card sales, the Lees and the Horseshoe will acknowledge the total amount of funds raised through this incentive in the Transcript.
How to donate to the NHNF
As a 501(c)(3) organization, all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. CCS automatically provides receipts to those who donate $250 or more. Tax receipts for donations of any amount will be provided by CCS upon request by the donor, who must provide a name and address for the receipt to be mailed back to them.
The Transcript will acknowledge all donations in the newspaper each week. If you wish to remain anonymous or dedicate your donation to a loved one, please include a note.
Please make checks payable to “Christian Community Service” or “CCS,” not to the newspaper. Checks may be mailed to the Transcript at P.O. Box 7, North Reading, MA 01864.
Those who wish to drop off their donations in person may do so at the North Reading branch of the Reading Cooperative Bank, 170 Park St. (next to Ryer’s Store). Please specify to the bank teller your intention to donate to the Transcript’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund to ensure it is recorded on the tally sheet which the bank will forward to us for acknowledgement in the newspaper.
Help us make the 30th annual Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund drive the most successful it has ever been!
Merry Christmas!
Transcript 2019 NHNF Week 4 donor list:
• In loving memory of Timothy Alexander Chaloux from the Chaloux family —$1,000
• Ryer’s Store — $500
• In loving memory of Ben Sands—$300
• Mary Anita & David Bragdon— $300
• Anonymous Reindeer—$300
• Remembering family, friends from Ned & Sandra Kershner— $250
• From two Westies— $200
• Anonymous Sailor— $150
• In memory of Ralph Douglas—$100
• In honor of Kenneth Thomson— $100
• Doris and Don Henchey—$100
• In memory of Paul A. Nelson, Sr.— $100
• Anonymous Snowman— $100
• Happy DiFranza— $100
• Roy and Christina Walters— $100
• Jeffrey and Joan LeGrow—$100
• Dennis and Mary Moore— $150
• Nancy H. Fenton— $100
• Lorraine and Joe Hayes— $100
• Jane C. Newton— $100
• Monday Bridge Club— $60
• Susan and Michael Rynne—$50
• In memory of Carl and Phil Germino— $50
• In memory of Bev and Don—$50
• Merry Christmas! From Jeff Strong— $50
• Anonymous Angel— $50
• In memory of Robert Howard— $50
• Sheila and Jack Romo— $25
•Week 4 subtotal: $4,635
Previously acknowledged: $17,649
New total: $22,284
