This year has been incredibly tough on so many in our local community. The following charitable organizations are collecting donations to help families in need for the holidays. If you’re in a position to donate this holiday season, keep reading to learn more.
Beverly Bootstraps – Beverly Bootstraps provides critical resources to families and individuals so they may achieve self-sufficiency. They offer emergency and long-term assistance including: access to food, housing stability, adult and youth education, counseling and advocacy. They are community funded and supported through both donations and The Beverly Bootstraps Thrift Shop, located at 198 Rantoul Street in Beverly. This year you can, “Help Feed Beverly,” by making a monetary donation at beverlybootstraps.org/donate.
Citizens Inn – Citizens Inn has served families and individuals across the North Shore for more than 37 years. They provide both a safe place to stay and a meal on the table, as well as offering tools to empower families and individuals. This holiday season, they are asking for your support in the form of monetary donations. Visit their Holiday Giving page to donate. Citizens Inn will use the donations collected to purchase gift cards for each child and parent in shelter, gift cards for every family on their stabilization case load, as well as gift cards for clients that utilize the pantry at Haven from Hunger.
Community Giving Tree – Community Giving Tree’s mission is to help low-income families in Northeastern Massachusetts raise healthy children by providing clothing, baby equipment and other basic necessities. During the month of November, Community Giving Tree is hosting their annual Holiday Gift Program, where they collect new kids’ pajamas, socks, underwear, clothing and jackets for children in need. Visit their Amazon Wish List to donate.
My Brother’s Table – Founded in 1982, My Brother’s Table is the largest soup kitchen on the North Shore. Now through December 18th, My Brother’s Table is collecting $20 gift cards to grocery stores, Walmart, the Dollar Store or CVS to give to their guests on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Sponsor a guest by donating a gift card and help make the holidays a bit more cheery. Drop gift cards off at My Brother’s Table, located at 98 Willow Street in Lynn, between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday-Friday.
Project Home Again – Project Home Again partners with social service agencies in Northeastern Massachusetts to bring new and gently used household goods, furniture and appliances to low-income families in need. They do not host any holiday-specific drives, but in the winter they are always in need of more new and gently used comforters and sheets, as well as new sleeping pillows. Find details on how to drop off your donations at their Andover location here.
SPUR – SPUR is a charitable organization established to inspire good deeds and make a tangible difference in the lives of both recipients and volunteers in the communities of Lynn, Marblehead, Salem, Swampscott and beyond. SPUR is hosting an annual Holiday Cheer Drive to provide winter essentials, along with a few meaningful gifts, to more than 500 local children and adults experiencing homelessness. Visit spurholidaycheer.com to sponsor a Wish List. Please note that all Wish List items must be dropped off at the SPUR office, at 6 Anderson Street in Marblehead, by 3pm on Monday, December 7th. You can also contribute a financial donation to help cover unsponsored Wish List items.
***Thanks to SPUR for sharing photos from last year’s Holiday Cheer Drive (pre-pandemic – which is why no masks or social distancing are present.)
