The Gene and Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Fund will match up to a total of $2,500 in donations to the annual Give A Christmas fund.
If it were up to philanthropist Gene Epstein, the Give A Christmas fund would be run every day of the year.
“It’s incumbent on everyone to make things better for everybody,” he said Wednesday while sharing the news that the Gene and Marlene Epstein Humanitarian Fund is joining in the holiday fundraising effort.
Donations are still needed to help the annual fund meet its goal of helping neighbors in need during the holiday season. Last year, more than 4,000 children in the area received vouchers to help provide gifts and food for the holidays.
Beginning immediately and running through Jan. 3, the Epsteins’ fund will match reader donations up to a total of $2,500.
“It’s such an incredible feeling for me to see how something like (Give A Christmas) can change a life,” said Epstein, a county resident of more than 40 years.
Levittown-Bristol Kiwanis Club President Mary Berman was “thrilled” to hear of the couple’s offer.
“It’s just absolutely amazing to see how people are willing to step up and help,” she said.
Donations to the 61st annual fund can be to Give A Christmas, Bucks County Courier Times, 8400 N. Bristol Pike, Levittown, PA 19057.
Make checks payable to Give A Christmas and include the donation form found in print in the daily newspaper or available for download at BucksCountyCourierTimes.com/GiveaChristmas. If you don’t have the form, send a note with your donation that includes you name, town, phone number (not for publication), donation amount and any message you wish to have published with your gift. Also indicate how you wish your name to be listed or if your donation is anonymous.
$10,000 donation for fund
“Merry Christmas from Bucks Family Medicine” read the message from the Levittown medical office. A donation of $10,000 to this year’s Give A Christmas fund was included.
Mary Berman, president of the Levittown-Bristol Kiwanis Club, immediately thought of the huge impact such a gift would make.
“The donation moves us so much closer to our goal of helping us meet the needs of so many more families in our community,” Berman said. “It’s wonderful.”
The annual fund, done in partnership with the Bucks County Courier Times, helps provide assistance to those in need during the holiday season. Last year, the effort helped more than 4,000 children in need.
“It’s just phenomenal that the outreach of the community helps us to ensure that this effort to help others occurs,” Berman said.