Donors Needed to Donate Gifts, Save the Holidays for Less Fortunate Bergen County Residents

Imagine a young person with no present to open during this time of year, or a lonely senior not being remembered by someone.

The “All Wrapped Up Holiday Giving Program” of the Volunteer Center of Bergen County is in desperate need of generous people from the community to donate gifts for almost 3,500 needy and lonely children, seniors and disabled persons in Bergen County.

Through the Volunteer Center of Bergen County’s All Wrapped Up Holiday Giving Program, low income families, many single parent households, as well as elderly, homeless and physically or mentally disabled adults and teens are helped through the donations of gifts and gift cards by individual donors as well as from local service clubs, businesses and religious organizations.

Area non-profit agencies have submitted gift “wish lists” to the Volunteer Center, which in turn matches generous donors with these less fortunate families and individuals, thus “adopting” them for the holidays.

“All Wrapped Up is not just a collection program for random gifts,” says Debbie Emery, coordinator of All Wrapped Up. “Donors are matched with specific people and families; they know what their exact needs are. These are people who are living right here in Bergen County—donors know that their gifts remain locally.”

“At this point in the program, many of the children have been matched. But we still have teens, adults, and seniors that need to be adopted for this fast approaching holiday season. We have matched just over half of the clients at this time,” Emery said.

Individual donors or members of community or employee groups may help a family through the Adopt-a-Family program. “We have received gift requests for 750 families, ranging in size from two to seven people, but over 400 families (approximately 1600 individual family members) are still waiting to be ‘adopted’,” says Janet Sharma, CEO of the Volunteer Center.

“Through the Heart-to-Heart program, donors can help 850 individuals-- elderly, homeless and disabled persons, children and teens. Only half of these people have been matched,” says Ms. Sharma.

Companies, religious and service groups, families and individual donors who wish to help should call Debbie Emery at (201) 489-9454, Ext. 118 . Donors can fill out an on-line registration form by visiting www.bergenvolunteers.org. Deadline to register is Dec. 9.

The Volunteer Center of Bergen County strengthens the community by connecting people through service and developing civic leaders.