 Night Out In Sytle - '70's Style!
to benefit Gifts of Love
Saturday, November 19, 2011
7:00 P.M.
Hoffman Honda Showroom
40 Albany Avenue (Route 44), Simsbury
Featuring Damon Scott, Master of Ceremonies
- Celebrity Chef Stations
- Dancing/Live Music
- Live & Silent Auctions
Dressing in Your Grooviest '70s Outfit Encouraged
Tickets: $75 per person
Click here to purchase tickets online
For more information/questions: 860.676.2323 or
email lshield@giftsoflovect.org |
Back To School 
This August we gave out 650 school supply backpacks. We received tremendous community support for the program, including help from The Hartford. This is up from the 536 backpacks we gave out last year. We provide children with fully stocked backpacks loaded with pencils, paper, dictionaries and more, so that they can start off the school year well supplied. We are proud to assist these children with a solid start to their education.
By assisting our clients with school supplies, we allow them to use their income on other necessities such as rent, utilities and medications. Prior to assistance from Gifts of Love, many of our families were forced to choose between food and fuel. A recent
Boston City Hospital study concluded that during the colder months, cases of undernourished children increased by 30%. This is known as the "Heat or Eat" dilemma that many families face during the winter months. A study done by the Community Childhood Hunger Identification Project concluded that 41% of low-income families with school-aged children in Hartford were chronically hungry and 35% were at risk of hunger. This issue is now spreading to the working poor in the suburbs at an alarming rate.
|
Spirit of the Season
This holiday season you can send a message of caring to families in need through Gifts of Love's Holiday Program. As in many years past, with the help of generous donors we will be able to provide a joyous holiday to nearly 525 families.Gifts of Love is seeking donations of new unwrapped toys, household items and gift cards. We will feature a community created "Holiday Shop".  The Holiday Shop is a place where the donations are displayed in a store type setting. Our clients are invited to browse through and choose a select number of gifts for their family. In addition, gift cards to various stores are also given to the parents of teenagers and grocery store gift cards are given to the clients for a holiday meal.
We are also seeking the donation of gift bags, wrapping paper, tape, name tags and bows. Everything in the store is donated and are given to our clients at no cost. Volunteers are also needed in the holiday shop assisting our clients with their shopping, organizing donations and stocking the holiday shop.
When times are toughest, the working poor and hidden poor who don't qualify for many government programs are often hit the hardest.The Holiday Shop will enable Gifts of Love's clients to h ave a feeling of independence knowing that even in these difficult times, they can still select a gift for their child. It also offers members of our community an opportunity participate in the program by donating on a small or large scale while ensuring the distribution of gifts is equal amongst all of Gifts of Love's clients.
|
Virtual Gift Baskets and eCards
Looking for a holiday idea for friends, co-workers, clients and family? How about a donation to Gifts of Love!  Instead of gifts, you or Gifts of Love can email your friends, co-workers or clients letting them know that instead of gifts, baskets or holiday cards, a donation was made to Gifts of Love on their behalf. What better way to spread the holiday spirit than by helping those who are struggling this holiday season.
In many cases, in order to qualify for our program, someone in the household needs to be working. In addition to the working poor we are now seeing the newly poor - the households going from 2 incomes to one because of recent layoffs. This means an increase in need from those who never needed help before.
By assisting our clients with food and clothes, we allow them to use their income on other necessities such as rent, utilities and medications.
|
|
"Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year but when you volunteer, you vote everyday about the kind of community you want to live in."
Author unknown
If you are interested in volunteering at Gifts of Love please contact Chris at cnapierski@giftsoflovect.org
|
