Hope for the Holidays
By Lancaster New Era Staff
With our annual list of holiday wishes, the season is much brighter for the community Volunteers needed Donations needed
We’ve all heard it’s better to give than to receive, and the United Way staff couldn’t agree more.
“Nonprofit agencies in Lancaster County do an outstanding job of addressing health and human service needs the whole year through,” says Toni McCuistion, director of United Way LINC, a 24-hour information and referral service.
“However, for many families, the holidays bring an additional financial burden to already tightly stretched budgets.”
LINC tries to ease that burden by matching families with individuals and organizations who want to help make the holidays a bit brighter, McCuistion says.
“Gifts of everything from toys and food to time and money can help make a happier holiday for families all over Lancaster County,” she says.
To contribute, call United Way LINC, 291- LINC (5462).
Boys & Girls Club, Lancaster
Description: Youth-development agency with programs and services ranging from membership for core programs to residential care and treatment for adolescents
Needs: Volunteers to help sort and pack donated toys throughout December and help with toy distribution on Dec. 17, 18 and 19
Clare House, Lancaster
Description: Temporary shelter for homeless women with or without children
Needs: Volunteers to help set up and clean up during annual Holiday Shop, Dec. 18, at the Eden Resort Inn
Conestoga View, Lancaster
Description: Provides professional medical services to people with limited assets who require treatment in an extended-care facility
Needs: Volunteers to help set up trays, carve hams and visit with residents on Christmas Day
Lancaster County Project for the Needy, Lancaster
Description: Volunteer group raises money and collects food to distribute to needy families at Christmas
Needs: Volunteers to help package and distribute Christmas dinner boxes on the morning of Dec. 24, at Clipper Magazine Stadium
AIDS Community Alliance, Harrisburg
(serves Lancaster County)
Description: Provides free and confidential supportive services for individuals and families impacted by HIV/AIDS
Needs: Personal-hygiene items, household supplies, school supplies, grocery-store gift cards
The Arc of Lancaster County, Lancaster
Description: Provides services for people with mental retardation, their families and other interested people
Needs: Arc Angels – People are provided with name and age of someone and asked to purchase gifts around $25
Boys & Girls Club
Needs: Holiday Toys for Boys and Girls, at several drop-off locations throughout the county
Church World Service – Refugee Program, Lancaster
Description: Provides faith-based refugee resettlement that currently works with Somali, Burmese and Cuban families
Needs: Adopt a family
Clare House
Needs: Adopt a family; help with holiday meal purchases
Compeer Lancaster, Lancaster
Description: Matches volunteers in one-to-one relationships with adults who are lonely and isolated because of mental illness
Needs: Travel kit for toiletries; umbrellas; first-aid kits; grocery-store gift cards. (Items needed by Dec. 11.)
Community Services Group, Lancaster
Description: Provides a variety of services for mentally retarded and mentally ill individuals, including partial hospitalization, vocational rehabilitation and numerous residential programs
Needs: Adopt a family
Deb’s House, Lancaster
Description: A crisis nursery service offering up to five days of temporary, safe, supportive, round-the-clock residential care to children from birth to 6 years old
Needs: Adopt a family; baby wipes, diapers, soap and other toiletries. (Items requested by Dec. 14.)
Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Services, Lancaster
Description: Provides services to deaf and hard-of-hearing clients
Needs: Adopt a family
Head Start, Lancaster
Description: Program for low-income families that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through educational, health, nutritional, social and other services Needs: Clothing, games, books and toys for children ages 3 to 5 enrolled at the center; serves approximately 300 children
Healthy Beginnings Plus, Lancaster General Hospital
Description: A program for pregnant women that provides medical care by a doctor or midwife, prenatal education by a nurse educator and assistance of a social worker
Needs: Diapers, wipes, blankets, onesies
Lancaster County Council Of Churches, Lancaster
Description: Ministering to human needs; addressing community and societal issues
Needs: Personal-care kit, hats, gloves, Christmas stockings for 75 seniors in the program, coloring books and crayons for children
LUMINA, Lancaster
Description: An outreach ministry of over 70 United Methodist churches in Lancaster County. Networks with other agencies to provide programming and outreach services
Needs: Food for nutrition-education programs
Lutheran Refugee Services, Lancaster
Description: Faith-based social ministry organization that assists refugees and asylees
Needs: Household and school supplies
Marine Corps, Lancaster County Detachment
Description: Supports Toys for Tots program by collecting new, unwrapped toys to distribute as Christmas gifts to needy children
Needs: Toys for Tots, with several drop-off locations throughout the county
Mental Health America, Lancaster
Description: An education and advocacy agency promoting mental health and working toward the prevention of mental illness and improved quality of life for people suffering from such illnesses
Needs: Monetary donations or gifts for holiday gift project
MH/MR/EI, Lancaster Description: County agency mandated to monitor and provide services for mental health, mental retardation and early intervention
Needs: Adopt a family
Mom’s House, Lancaster
Description: Provides free child care to single parents who are attending school full time
Needs: Toys, gift cards, food, office and cleaning supplies
New Choices/New Options, Lancaster
Description: A career/guidance counseling program for single parents, homemakers and displaced homemakers looking to enter or re- enter the workforce or exploring opportunities for training, education and placement
Needs: Adopt a family
Nuestra Clinica, Lancaster
Description: A Lancaster County provider contracted for outpatient substance-abuse and mental-health treatment services
Needs: Adopt a family
Office of Aging, Lancaster
Description: Offers a wide range of support services to older Lancaster County residents, with the goal of allowing them to maintain independence and self-sufficiency
Needs: Nonperishable food items and personal-hygiene items; monetary donations for holiday program that delivers food boxes and gifts to clients
Pregnancy and Parenting Center, Lancaster
Description: Provides prenatal and postnatal services to pregnant and parenting teens and to young adults at many service sites in Lancaster County
Needs: Diapers (sizes 1 to 4), baby formula (Similac Advanced), toys for infants to age 1, baby items (powder, lotion, wipes, etc.), baby clothes for infants to age 1, gift cards, personal-care items for women
S. June Smith Center, Lancaster
Description: Provides programs, services and community inclusion opportunities for children with developmental needs and their families
Needs: Infant and toddler items (booster seats, wooden puzzles in simple shapes, washable finger paints, bubbles, play dough), large- sized crayons, beanbags, koosh balls, children’s music CDs, construction paper, gift cards
Transitional Living Center, Lancaster
Description: Nonprofit organization offering housing and financial solutions to struggling families
Needs: New microwaves, new double/full fitted sheets, heavy-duty shop vac, carpet cleaner/shampooer, tile cleaner/buffer, gift cards to grocery stores in $10 and $20 increments
Urban League of Lancaster – Project Hope, Lancaster
Description: Advocates on behalf of people either infected with or affected by AIDS; provides education and prevention services
Needs: 20 to 30 Christmas trees (By Dec. 19)
YWCA, Lancaster
Description: Provides services that enable women and girls to reach their full potential, enrich the quality of lives and shape a new society free from sexism and racism
Needs: Lamps for 36 residence rooms, couches for lounge areas
Originally published by This Year’s United Way Wish List Was, Writtencatherine S. Molitoris, New Era Staff Writer..
(c) 2007 Intelligencer Journal. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.