Already Burlington County Times readers are showing up big in donating to our expanded Give A Christmas program. And as always, we appreciate it, especially getting 2019 off to a quick start.
We started the program two weeks earlier than usual because we changed several of our processes and added NJ 211 as a resource to help Burlington County families.
We have had one glitch, and it’s a communication misunderstanding on our part. We’ve had a few people write in critical of the revamped program, believing that because the post office box we are using is in Philadelphia, it means donations are being guided outside Burlington County. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Philadelphia post office box is secure and dedicated solely to the BCT’s Give A Christmas venture. It’s part of the safety of funds and strict accountability we are holding ourselves to in being the leader in this program. In previous years, we would have donors drop checks — or worse, cash — in envelopes in our mail slot or at the front door of the office. We took great care to account for all of that, but when we looked at the program, it was absolutely one of our highest priorities to make sure every dollar safely goes where it is supposed to go.
We also wanted to have the highest standards in making sure our recipients meet the minimum qualifications to receive donations.
With NJ 211 in place, the screening specifically asks if applicants are from Burlington County; if not, they are immediately informed they are not eligible. The GAC application also is titled Burlington’s Give A Christmas, so it’s clear on any forms for which program the applicant has applied.
Give A Christmas is a special initiative of NJ 211 in partnership with the Burlington County Times. It focuses on Burlington County residents only. NJ 211 has other special initiatives that are county specific, such as its role in Passaic, Morris and Middlesex as the single point of entry and coordinated assessment for the homeless. NJ 211 also works with Bergen County screening for its Compassion Fund.
“Although, we are a statewide information and referral service, we do play a specialized role in several counties,” NJ 211 Executive Director Melissa Acree said. “The GAC is a new and exciting role for NJ 211 in Burlington County. We are utilizing a combination of our communication technology and a dedicated call specialist to screen and process GAC applications. We are thrilled to play a part in bringing smiles to many children on Christmas morning.”
Our Give A Christmas campaign was started by the Ellis family in 1968 and has raised more than $3 million over the course of its existence, including more than $57,000 last year, and we hope to exceed that figure this year.
Former BCT owner Shirley Ellis, who passed away three years ago this week, was a driving force in the paper’s program. When BCT Managing Editor Audrey Harvin and I approached Ellis’ son, Stan, about changing course with the program to try to help more people and bring in more donations, he loved the idea to grow and enhance a legacy for which his mother was fiercely proud of personally and professionally.
We assure our generous BCT readers that your money will stay in this county to help its residents in need. All who are part of this are committed to that singular goal.
You’ve donated more than $3 million over the years and helped thousands and thousands of local residents. We hope you will continue to keep on giving, as you have for more than five decades.
Shane Fitzgerald is Atlantic Sub-Regional Executive Editor for GateHouse Media, including the Burlington County Times and 20 other publications in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and Maryland. Contact him at sfitzgerald@thebct.com.