Freeman launches Holiday Fund drive
Donations large and small are being accepted by the Freeman as the newspaper launches its 41st annual Holiday Fund drive to aid five Mid-Hudson agencies that help the region’s needy.
The money raised in the annual drive, which runs through Christmas, is used by the agencies in a variety of ways, such as helping a single mother pay a food bill, covering a car payment that’s late, providing money for a needy adult’s small medical expense or providing assistance to buy food or holiday toys.
The fund was begun in 1977 and has raised a total of $560,000. Last year’s donations totaled $11,080.
The donations are passed along to the fund’s primary beneficiaries: The People’s Place in Kingston, Family, and the Community Action programs in Ulster, Dutchess and Greene counties. Other regional charitable organizations may be added to the list if donations are sufficient. (The Holiday Fund does not give money directly to individuals.)
All administrative costs for the fund are paid by the Freeman.
Elizabeth Spira, chief executive officer of Dutchess County Community Action, said the Holiday Fund money received by her agency is used in many ways.
“Community Action partnerships provide wraparound services to low-income families, and often we have needs that are not met by traditional grants,” Spira said. “Unrestricted funds, such as [money from] the Freeman’s Holiday Fund, pay for some things that nothing else will cover.”
Spira said those things vary depending on family needs. It could be an overdue car payment, a heating payment or an electric bill, she said.
“There are more people in need because prices continue to rise and the minimum wage is not substantial enough to meet the costs of living in Dutchess County,” Spira said.
And the need increases around the holidays, she said, because needy families are looking for ways to make the festivities as enjoyable as possible.
“This is also the heating season, so that’s sort of is a double hit at this time of year when families want to gather to enjoy [the holidays],” Spira said.
Spira said bill payments made with Holiday Fund money can ease that burden. She also said many of her agency’s clients are “actively working.”
“Many of are employed. At least 70 percent of families report employment dollars and [still] need assistance,” Spira said.
Christine Hein, director of The People’s Place, a thrift store and food pantry in Kingston, said the agency continues to add new programs and money from the Holiday Fund helps pay for them.
“We have really come to rely on the money we get from the Freeman Holiday Fund to support all of our holiday programs,” she said. “[The fund] really helps us fill in the blanks and all the gaps that we don’t have funding for.”
Hein also said the people needing help continues to grow.
“[We need] extra food and each year, the number of children we are helping is increasing,” she said.
The People’s Place has been a beneficiary of the Holiday Fund since its inception.
Contributions to the fund may be mailed to Holiday Fund, Daily Freeman, 79 Hurley Ave., Kingston, N.Y. 12401. Contributors’ names will be published periodically, though requests for anonymity will be honored. Questions about the fund should be directed to Brenda Crantz at (845) 400-1202 or bcrantz@freemanonline.com.