NH Developer, Concord Kiwanis Save Christmas For Kids In Need

CONCORD, NH — Christmas will be a whole lot better for children in need in New Hampshire due to retired and active state employees and some of their holiday helpers in the private sector.

Operation Santa Claus, the 60-plus-year effort by SEA/SEIU Local 1984, to ensure that thousands of children around the state receive gifts during the holidays, is ramping up efforts to cover a sponsorship deficiency.

But it could have been a bumpier effort had it not been for a local commercial property developer who donated badly needed space and also, passed the cup to raise thousands of dollars to assist in filling some of the last-minute void.

For many years, Operation Santa Claus used the New Hampshire Department of Transportation building on Stickney Avenue as a central hub. Even with a break-in one year, it was always a good, central location to coordinate the gifts and then, with the assistance of the New Hampshire National Guard, get them across the state and into the hands of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services employees, who then make sure they are delivered to kids before Christmas.

This year though, with the NH DOT building being sold, like Mary and Joseph, Operation Santa Claus was without a place to stay. Continuing coronavirus complicated things, too. The org had to “dramatically adjust” in 2020 due to COVID-19, according to Christine Turgeon of SEA/SEUI Local 1984.

In September, the organization began looking for a new, donated space in the Concord area, to get back to normal. Ideally, the org needed around 5,000 or more square feet to centralize operations. Coordinators also believed, due to increased need, it would have to find sponsors and donations for more than the usual 3,000 children. While the pandemic continued, Turgeon said, the need rose, too.

“The children we serve live with a great deal of uncertainty,” she said. “Providing gifts on Christmas allows children and their families a moment of stability, which is more valuable than ever.”

Tom Balon, a developer and owner of commercial properties in both Concord and Portsmouth, heard about the situation and began communicating with Turgeon and Phillip Burt of the NH DHHS, who has coordinated the effort the last two years. Balon had two spaces — one small and one large. Both spaces had security cameras and alarms but the larger space needed some quick fixes. Burt and Turgeon checked out pictures of the spaces, met with Balon, and a deal was sealed.

Balon has, in the past, donated space. The ski and skate sale was once held at one of his buildings. He said he liked to have some flexible space available at his properties because the need always arises. Balon said brokers are not too keen on space being held but then, a company wants to expand or would like temporary rental space, and he does not have it available.

“Being completely full is sometimes its own worst enemy,” he said. “I’m surprised at how strong the Concord office market is right now … outside of southern New Hampshire, not so much.”

Balon was puzzled there was not more generosity between those who have things like warehouse spaces and groups that might need it. Regardless, he was glad to help.

“In our case, the space was available,” he said. “We are always happy to do that and we appreciate when somebody asks.”

Balon was a tad concerned because the space was not clean. He and other Kiwanis members, like Andrew Georgevits, got to work and cleaned the space up. Georgevits and Kiwanis also store items in the space, something that was helpful to him and the organization. He said the need was there to get it cleaned up quickly before the volunteers came in. When Balon offered the union to the space, it was time to get to work, he said.

“The need was there,” Georgevits said. “This is the time for giving. It’s the right thing to do, to work together, to make sure kids in New Hampshire, who are in need, have a great Christmas.”

Georgevits said Balon had been involved with Kiwanis for a number of years and was very active, always hearing the call to serve the community and step up.

Word also began to circulate that the organization was short on hundreds of gifts. Balon and others began chipping in, raising $4,000 toward the effort — with more donations expected later this week. As of last week, about 450 children were left unsponsored due to close to 300 new children in foster care in 2021.

At the space on Monday, gifts were beginning to come in, full force. One volunteer said she was surprised by Balon’s generosity — and that he had the placed cleaned, too, before they arrived, something they were preparing to do. Burt and Turgeon also seemed pleased with the space. It was a godsend, actually.

Operation Santa Claus, Balon said, was an impressive effort by the volunteers. He sent Patch security photos from the past week, showing the gifts coming together, and praised them for all of their hard work.

“They are there early,” he said. “They stay late … they are working so hard. It’s very heartening.”

To make a donation to Operation Santa Claus, click on this link.

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