Hand to Hand Looking for Sponsors

Details: Created on Friday, 07 November 2014 19:37; Written by Dominic Amato

HANDTOHAND AROUND THE NEK- As the Halloween season comes to end, most are already starting to think about Christmas. Whether it be the radio stations, local stores or your neighbor, there's no denying that Winter is in the air, and Christmas is swiftly approaching.

But for some families, Christmas is nothing more than another day, due to parents not being able to afford gifts for their children and families. That's why the towns of Burke, East Haven, Newark, Sheffield, Sutton and Wheelock are coming together for their 25th year of the Hand to Hand Program. This neighbor to neighbor group is solely based on anonymous donors to sponsor a family during the Christmas season.

There are plenty of options when it comes to sponsoring a family in the Hand to Hand program, you can donate money to be specifically spent on heat or gas, you can buy food and gifts for children and that family, or you can specifically buy all of the above things, for an elderly couple instead. Once you decide to become a sponsor, the Hand to Hand program will send you a letter with the information of the family that is assigned to you. The form states the basic needs of the children, and things that they enjoy. The Boot Fund is a separate organization that provides warm outdoor clothing for children, so it is not required that sponsors purchase anything like that. If you were to provide the makings of a Holiday dinner, Hand to Hand asks that you provide non-perishable food items, as the program will provide the turkey.

The program was successful last year as they sponsored 60 families, including 90 children and 19 senior citizens. This year, Hand to Hand is still looking for sponsors, Holly Heverly, one of the Program Coordinators, says that most of the sponsors have been donating to families since the program started in 1989, and now, those sponsors are reaching retirement age, and can no longer provide for other families. "Over the next few years we need to reach out to a younger population that is in a position to be able to sponsor families but may not be familiar with the program, and that will be the challenge I think is to keep that rolling. You know it would be lovely if it could stay for another twenty-five years."

Heverly is not alone in organizing the program, as Terri Binney and Kelly Deth join the Hand to Hand coordinator staff this year. All three are first year coordinators, but are grateful for the opportunity they have to provide for others during their time of need. If you would like to sponsor a family this Holiday season, or want anymore information you can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .