Author: cveltri

In 2019, the Burlington County Times partnered with NJ 211, a nonprofit organization that helps people cover their basic needs, for its annual Give A Christmas program.

NJ 211’s texting application made it easier for families in need to apply for gift cards, and it helped lead to a holiday season in which 329 county families received a combined $1,166 Target gift cards worth a total of $58,300.

This year, the nonprofit is back with its efficient texting platform, and hundreds of county families have either completed applications or are in the process of doing so, for $50 Walmart gift cards, this year’s GAC gift. Families can receive up to four gift cards.

NJ 211 did not have to change much for the 2020 GAC effort, as its 2019 approach worked well, said Melissa Acree, the organization’s executive director. But it still learned from last year’s experience and it is applying those lessons to this year’s effort, Acree added.

Her reflections on the 2019 experience, the 2020 approach and the importance of GAC in general are below. The BCT’s questions are in bold.

What made you want to get involved with Give A Christmas in the first place?

NJ 211 has researched and listed holiday assistance programs for years. We provide referrals to these programs from October to December. We recognize how important programs like Give A Christmas are to individuals who have limited income. We also believed that our technology could be leveraged to provide a more formalized, trackable process to screen applicants and process applications.

What did you think of last year’s effort overall?

It was a transition for both the Burlington County Times and the Burlington County residents. We worked together very well and were able to issue over 1,000 gift cards last year.

Why did you want to participate again?

To help even more people, especially given the challenges so many are facing with COVID and unemployment.

What worked last year and why?

The text system worked smoothly providing eligible applicants an easy, online application and the ability to electronically submit required documents.

What didn’t work last year and why?

Some gift cards were not mailed within two weeks from submitting a complete application due to limited number of gift cards permitted by the vendor.

Based on what worked last year, what are you doing this year to replicate those efforts?

We continue to text applicants reminders to send in their required documents so that their application is complete and gift cards can be sent.

Based on what didn’t work last year, what are you doing this year to improve on those processes?

We looked at alternative vendors for gift cards that would permit a high number of gift cards to be purchased.

What is the progress of this year’s effort so far?

We are off to a great start! There have been 218 applicants and 114 have submitted completed applications.

Why did the BCT and NJ 211 settle on $50 Walmart gift cards as this year’s prize?

The Walmart gift card was selected because it offers a wide assortment of gift selections. Recipients can order gifts online or shop in-person.

What are you hoping to get out of this effort as an organization?

Our mission to connect individuals and families in need to community resources that can help. This program aligns with our mission. We want all families to be able to open a gift on Christmas Day and to know that help is available. We also want families to know about our year-round services so if they need assistance with health or social services, they can start by contacting NJ 211.

Why is it important for Burlington County families to contribute to this effort?

This is an individual decision, but I believe that in giving we receive. There is no better way to celebrate Christmas than to give to others, especially those less fortunate.

What can people still do at this point to help GAC reach its goals?

Consider a donation. Apply if you need assistance and send in all required documents so applications can be processed.

Why are the holidays a particularly important time to help people in general?

The holidays can be very difficult for some individuals for a variety of reasons. This program brings hope and cheer to so many.

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County residents in need should text GAC to 898211 to “go through the process of checking eligibility,” said Acree. Anyone interested in making a donation should visit https://stories.usatodaynetwork.com/burlingtonchristmas/. Applications and donations are being accepted through Nov. 20.

WESTAMPTON — For more than 50 years, the Burlington County Times has been helping families in need during the holidays.

In 2020, the Give A Christmas program is back for yet another holiday season.

The BCT and its partner in the effort, NJ 211, a nonprofit organization that helps people find    community resources for life’s most basic needs, will begin accepting financial donations and applications for assistance on Monday. This year’s initiative will run from Oct. 19 to Nov. 20, ending just in time to give families their gift cards to go holiday shopping.

County residents in need should text GAC to 898211 to “go through the process of checking eligibility,”. Eligibility is based on income and recipients may include, but are not limited to, parents with sick children, single family households, people who are struggling with addiction and people who are unemployed. The effort should be more important than ever this year, given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the uncertain state of the economy, said Melissa Acree, the executive director of NJ 211.

“People are in dire need,” she added.

Donations will go toward $50 Walmart gift cards. A family can receive one gift card per child and a maximum of four gift cards. If a family has less than four children, the parents can also receive one gift card between them.

“We selected a store that has a variety of items,” said Acree of the Walmart choice. “From electronics to clothing to toys.”

Last year, 1,166 Target gift cards worth a total of $58,300 were distributed to 329 county families. The effort was aided by the first-time participation of NJ 211 and its simple, straightforward text code. For the GAC program, the texting platform will direct eligible residents to an online application.

The nonprofit uses the same text code to help residents around the state with housing, food and transportation needs, among other necessities. But even during the GAC application process, the service will remind users of the assistance that NJ 211 provides by simply texting your zip code to 898211 for assistance, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Our service is available year-round, not just at Christmas time,” Acree said. “Residents can also search our online resource database found on the NJ 211 website”

John Emge, longtime local, regional and now national United Way executive connected the BCT with NJ 211 in 2019. He believed that the nonprofit’s mission aligned perfectly with the Give A Christmas program. It would allow residents to not only receive assistance during Christmas, but assistance year-round with connection to wide array of essential programs.

The GAC initiative started in 1968 and has raised more than $3 million in that time. In its best years, the campaign has raised as much as $100,000.

For the second year in a row, the Ellis Family Charitable Foundation, founded by the family of former owners of the BCT, has made a donation to help offset the additional cost incurred by NJ 211 for the seasonal help needed to conduct this program.

“The Give A Christmas program has helped thousands of families over the years due to the generosity of our readers,” said Audrey Harvin, the BCT’s executive editor. “There is quite a bit of behind-the-scenes effort that goes into coordinating the program, managing donations and getting help to those that need it most. Our partnership with NJ 21- has made the process more efficient and offered families access to additional resources not only during the holidays, but throughout the year.”  Anyone interested in making a donation should visit www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/giveachristmas.

A local news and sports reporter around Pennsylvania and New Jersey since 2015, Jarrad Daniel Saffren joined The Burlington County Times’ award-winning local news team in October 2019, adding business, education and town government features to the coverage. Contact him at jsaffren@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @JarradSaff. Please help support local journalism with a subscription to The Burlington County Times.

Every contribution to “Give A Christmas” has a story. Some do it simply in the spirit of generosity. Some want to honor loved ones. Some are even looking to pay the good deed forward now.

WESTAMPTON — The holiday season can be difficult for some families, whether they’re coping with financial struggles or grief. Nancy Gulden said she knows what it’s like.

The Burlington Township resident lost her mother just a few days after Christmas, making the holidays a harder time for her in years to follow.

She now hopes to make other people smile around the holidays, and over the past few years, she has donated to the Burlington County Times’ “Give A Christmas” initiative to help others enjoy the season. She is one of hundreds who have donated to “Give A Christmas” again this year.

“It’s important to me because the spirit of Christmas is about giving,” Gulden said. “If we can give a little and make somebody happy, that’s important to me. A lot of people have hard things happen during the holidays, and that makes it harder to appreciate. But as I get older, it’s more apparent that you need to grasp onto your faith.”

In a partnership between The BCT and NJ 2-1-1, the campaign, now in its 52nd year, seeks to provide money in the form of gift cards to local families and individuals in need. Over the years, it has raised more than $3 million. This year’s initiative has already collected more than $10,000.

Donations have come from hundreds of individuals and families in the region, as well as local businesses and organizations, such as GMS Cleaning Services in Chesterfield, Jesus The Good Shepherd Parish in Beverly, the Springfield Township Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary, and the Woman’s Club of Edgewater Park.

Burlington County residents donate for several different reasons. Some do it to honor a loved one’s memory. Others do it simply in the spirit of generosity. And some know the struggle firsthand, and are looking to pay the good deed forward now.

Longtime donor Cynthia Helm, of Pemberton, said she and her husband Charles enjoy the chance to help others when money is tight.

“We’re doing good financially. God has been good to us,” she said. “We always try to help as much as we can every year.”

“Give A Christmas” has personal significance to Deborah Pica, a Willingboro, who contributed in honor of her loved ones this year.

“I think part of Christmas is remembering people who struggle. I came from that background,” Pica said. “I did volunteer work for a food bank. It was shocking to see the amount of people waiting in line. It’s humbling to know how difficult it is for people. That’s what I grew up with too. I came from a large family.”

Pica said she also enjoys the opportunity to donate locally.

“It’s local. People in the immediate area benefit,” she said.

Similarly, Eastampton resident Don Graham also likes knowing he’s making a direct impact on people in the area.

“At some point in life, a lot of us have needed help,” Graham said. “We knew from news all the toys go to local children who need help. I like the idea of giving and getting locally.”

Every year, Graham donates in honor of his parents to keep their memory alive. Growing up in Willingboro, he recalled that his father would “play Santa Claus” for other families in the neighborhood who were struggling. Once, when Graham was a kid, his father dropped off gifts to a neighbor who’d just lost his job recently.

“Good people sometimes fall on hard times,” Graham said. “We didn’t want the kids not to have a good Christmas.”

“It feels personal,” he said of the campaign. “We’re all a Burlington County family.”

Those who would like to donate to this year’s Give A Christmas can still to do so by sending donations to the Give A Christmas Fund, PO Box 70260, Philadelphia, Pa. 19176-9703.

Donations must include the donation form, which can be found in print in the daily newspaper or downloaded online at burlingtoncountytimes.com/GiveaChristmas. Secure online donations can also be made on that same page. Donations made after December 13 will be applied to the 2020 Give A Christmas program.

Those who wish to seek help from the Give A Christmas campaign can do so by texting GAC to 898211 from Nov. 3 to Dec. 6. Appilcants should text “GAC” to 898211 and follow prompts to complete the application process. Those who are eligible will be required to provide photo identification, a copy of a social security card or birth certificate for each eligible child, proof of income and address.

NJ 2-1-1 can be reached at 211, 24 hours a day all year.

With less than a month until Christmas, there’s still time to make a donation to or seek help from The Burlington County Times’ annual “Give A Christmas” initiative.

WESTAMPTON — First comes Thanksgiving. Then come some of the biggest retail days of the year: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. And after that comes Giving Tuesday, perhaps the most uplifting and altruistic days of post-Thanksgiving spending.

The rising Giving Tuesday tradition started out in 2012 at the 92nd Street Y, a community center in Manhattan, and the United Nations Foundation in response to the prevalence of consumerism the week after Thanksgiving. The idea quickly spread on the internet, making Giving Tuesday an ideal time to donate to nonprofit groups and important causes during the holiday season.

Since its invention, it has continued to grow even bigger every year. Last year, the holiday raised $380 million for organizations around the world, a 38% increase from 2017′s Giving Tuesday, according to Nonprofits Source. The average online donation averages to $134, and Facebook and Paypal were the most commonly used platforms for donations. The top causes over the past seven years have been included public and societal benefits, human services, education, health, environment and animals.

As the season for extra charitable giving kicks off, it’s also a chance to contribute to the Burlington County Times’ Give A Christmas initiative, which helps families in the region enjoy the holiday season during a time when financial demands become even more stressful for those who are income-strapped and struggling to make ends meet.

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“When the holidays come, parents who are already struggling to pay the bills feel a need to stretch even further to create a magical Christmas for their little ones,” said Sue Ross, communications and marketing manager at NJ 2-1-1, the BCT’s partner organization for Give A Christmas this year. “For many hard working families in our state, that’s just not possible.”

Right now in Burlington County, there’s a family who has been dislocated by a house fire. There’s a family who recently lost a parent and is struggling with grief. There’s a parent recovering from addiction getting a fresh start trying to make things right with their family.

There is still plenty of time to help out on the campaign, and provide a happy holiday for countless families who have reached out to 2-1-1 for help from Give A Christmas. Donations for this year’s Give A Christmas can be made through Dec. 13, and any donations contributed after that date will be applied to next year’s Give A Christmas.

Through last year’s Give A Christmas campaign, $57,350 was distributed to hundreds of families. The GAC campaign raised about $3 million since its inception in 1968. Some years, the program raised as much as $100,000 for families in need.

Those who would like to donate can send their donations to the Give A Christmas Fund, PO Box 70260, Philadelphia, Pa. 19176-9703.

Donations must include the donation form, which can be found in print in the daily newspaper or downloaded online at burlingtoncountytimes.com/GiveaChristmas. Secure online donations can also be made on that same page. Donations made after December 13 will be applied to the 2020 Give A Christmas program.

Those who wish to seek help from the Give A Christmas campaign can do so by texting GAC to 898211. Requests will be accepted through Dec. 6. Appilcants should text “GAC” to 898211 and follow prompts to complete the application process. Those who are eligible will be required to provide photo identification, a copy of a social security card or birth certificate for each eligible child, proof of income and address.

NJ 2-1-1 can be reached at 211, 24 hours a day all year.

The campaign has provided aid to thousands of Burlington County residents over the years, including grieving families, single parents, individuals recovering from addictions and people with disabilities.

WESTAMPTON — The Burlington County Times’ annual Give A Christmas initiative with NJ 2-1-1 is underway, and it’s not too late to donate to help a neighbor who’s in need.

Since 1968, the Give A Christmas campaign has collected and distributed more than $3 million for Burlington County families who wrote to the BCT explaining their struggles during the holidays. The campaign has helped thousands over the years, including grieving families, single parents, individuals recovering from addictions and people with disabilities.

In previous years, families and individuals who needed help have reached out through letters to the Burlington County Times.

Last year, for example, the initiative helped a Willingboro mother and three daughters who lost their home.

“The hours I’ve been able to work cover gas, food and necessities, but I’m hoping for a miracle breakthrough to help me get back on my feet,” the mother wrote in. “We’ve been through so much lately and it breaks my heart to think I won’t be able to give my daughters a Christmas this year.”

Another letter came from a Riverside family coping with grief. Two of the father’s five children had lost their mothers recently: one from colon issues, and the other due to a blood clot near her heart.

“I have one wish and that is to be able to give my five children a great Christmas,” the father wrote to the Burlington County Times. “Right now I will not be able to do that with all of my bills.”

Two Eastampton kids, who lost their mother in a car accident a couple of years ago, also benefited from Give A Christmas.

“In an honest effort to provide shelter, education, food and clothing, it’s extremely difficult at best to make ends meet,” their father wrote last year.

The program has also helped people struggling with health issues and disabilities, who needed an extra boost to be able to bring some Christmas cheer to their families. All funds raised go to residents of Burlington County.

A cancer survivor from Burlington Township raising five kids on her own wrote to the newspaper last year: “It is hard for me to provide for my kids throughout the year, let alone during the holidays. No child should be without during this special time of year.”

Meanwhile, in Florence, a mother who is deaf said she was being passed over for jobs because of her disability, and had a hard time finding a steady gig to support herself and her 15-year-old daughter.

“I’m struggling financially, mentally and emotionally as my daughter gets older and I get older,” the mother wrote. “Holidays mean more spending and going from place to place. I don’t have extra money. I don’t own a vehicle anymore, which makes things harder to deal with.”

For some families, the initiative is a step toward mending bruised relationships with loved ones.

A Maple Shade parent recovering from an addiction reached out to the Burlington County Times last year. The mother became addicted to drugs after being prescribed heavy medications for injuries sustained in a car accident. Now, she’s proud to say she’s been clean for almost a year and earned back custody of her sons from their grandmother.

“I am on a fixed income and just about all of my money goes to bills so we can have a home, food, hot water and electricity,” the mother wrote. “I know that money and toys don’t make up for the things I’ve done, and I will never stop trying to fix things.”

These and so many other need help this holiday season.

Those who wish to seek help from the Give A Christmas campaign can do so by texting GAC to 898211. The agency asks that families reach out by Dec. 6, so gift cards can be distributed by Dec. 18.

Those who would like to donate can send their donations to the Give A Christmas Fund, PO Box 70260, Philadelphia, Pa. 19176-9703.

Donations must include the donation form, which can be found in print in the daily newspaper or downloaded online at burlingtoncountytimes.com/GiveaChristmas. Secure online donations can also be made on that same page.