Newtown Fund Begins Holiday Basket Program

The Newtown Fund has begun its annual holiday basket program to provide happy holidays to Newtowners in need.

The fund recruits people to adopt individuals and families and provide them with clothes, gifts, food and household items.

More info:

The recipients and the “wish lists” for these Holiday Baskets are screened by Newtown Social Services. You can learn more about the Newtown Fund by going to its website: www.thenewtownfund.org

The Holiday Basket Program holds its collection & distribution on what is referred to as “Depot Day”---on Saturday December 12th at Fraser Woods School. The adopters drop off the baskets in the morning and after they have been checked and are ready to be delivered, more people from the community show up to deliver them to the families. On site gift-organizing starts on Friday - the evening before Depot Day at 5PM.

The Newtown Junior Women’s Club, Inc. is conducting their part of the program called Tag-a-Gift. NJWC coordinates the collection & wrapping of holiday gifts for children- and this year for elderly residents as part of the larger HOLIDAY BASKET drive lead by The Newtown Fund.

“Giving Trees/Wreaths” with wishes on tags are set up in eight locations around town. Anyone can take a tag, purchase the wished for item, and return the unwrapped gift (with tag information attached) to the collection bin at the same location from which the tag was taken. . For those who take tags, please keep the ornament to hang at home to remember the Joy of Giving!!

All gifts and tags must be returned by end of day on December 9th.

Tags can be picked up at Newtown Savings Bank - Main branch, Wesley Learning Center, Savings Bank of Danbury- Church Hill Road, Newtown Country Club, Stop & Shop- Sand Hill Plaza, Taunton Press, Newtown Youth Academy and Edmond Town Hall.

The Newtown Fund collects gifts from many other organizations as well as from residents who donate supplements to the family baskets---NEW items such as pet food, household supplies, clothing, gift cards for gas and food, etc. These additional items should be dropped off at Fraser Woods School on Friday, December 11th after 5PM or on Saturday, the 12th no later than 9AM. (We are sorry but we cannot accept any used items.)

New this year is the additional tags with wishes/needs of less fortunate area Senior citizens.
Golden Opportunities is a local organization committed to helping seniors. They also work with Social Services. Go to their website to learn more about this wonderful organization at www.GoldenOpps.org

Golden Opportunities is helping us determine the needs of seniors in local facilities such as Nunnawauk Meadows, Masonicare and others so we can continue to collect donations past Depot Day through Friday, December 18. Golden Opportunities will help with distribution of the gifts before Christmas.

A special THANKS to Taunton Press for sponsoring a Tree with tags and thank you to each person/family for every gift donated

The Holiday Basket Program has become a festive, happy event and an integral part of Newtown’s holiday celebration. It’s a great way for entire families and neighborhoods to get involved and be part of the true meaning of the season. There are plenty of opportunities to help. It truly does take a village!!

Again, for more information about The Newtown Fund or to volunteer for the Holiday Basket program, please go to the website www.thenewtownfund.org. The chart below shows the many ways you can help. We hope you join us.