Nutley Holiday Program Brings Cheer To Residents In Need

NUTLEY, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Nutley Township. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Township of Nutley’s Annual Treasure Chest Adopt-a-Family Program has once again stepped up to help local families in need. The program is designed to help families in the township who need assistance during the holidays with Christmas gifts for their children as well as food for the holidays. Each year, Nutley routinely helps between 250 to 300 children ages three through 18 who are currently in township schools.

“The holidays are a time of happiness and giving,” Department of Public Affairs Commissioner John Kelly III said. “Every child should experience the joy of receiving gifts around the holidays. It is a sense of great pride that we have this program in Nutley to ensure that all children are all filled with joy around the holidays.”

The program began as a gift giving program in 2004. Letters were sent to families requesting their children’s names and what was on their Christmas lists (all done in strict confidentiality). Local businesses and organizations pitched in with donations and staff to help distribution. A mass email was sent to residents soliciting gift donations and explaining how the program works. Once the lists were accumulated, gifts were collected and distributed to the families.

In 2020, the program adapted to the restrictions of COVID-19 and instead of gifts, requested gift cards to major department stores so the parents had a variety of things to choose from. The most popular cards are from Target, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Old Navy, and TJ Maxx.

The Treasure Chest raises an average of about $14,000 in gift cards each year along with roughly $4,000 in ShopRite gift cards to help with families’ food shopping. The goal is to be able to provide $75 in gift cards per child and a minimum of $50 per family in ShopRite gift cards. Families who have more than five children receive $75 in ShopRite gift cards through the program.

“This is exactly what makes Nutley so great,” Kelly said, adding “we are a community that takes care of each other and looks out for each other … the Holiday Treasure Chest is a great example of that sentiment in action.”

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Belleville-Nutley Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.