Now that Thanksgiving is over, the holiday shopping season is in full swing.
Christmas is just three weeks away, and Hanukkah comes even sooner, running this year from Dec. 22-30.
Some Northeast families, though, don’t have the means to enjoy a holiday meal or gifts.
The 71st annual Eleanor Smylie Community Fund drive is trying to help Northeast folks in need.
We’ve been hearing from plenty of people who need help, including a disabled, low-income senior citizen woman from Tacony. A West Torresdale mom is on Social Security Disability and is trying to provide for her twin girl toddlers. A Tacony couple with three kids is in need, as she has cancer and he is going to school to be able to provide for his family.
Readers for more than seven decades have been making donations to help people like them. All money collected is used to buy gift cards to provide holiday dinners and children’s gifts to struggling Northeast families.
Donors’ names will be published, unless they request to remain anonymous.
If you would like to request help, or if you know of someone who could use assistance during the holidays, please take a few minutes to write a letter. The address is:
Eleanor Smylie Community Fund
2 Executive Campus
Suite 135
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002
Include a name and contact information for an agency or person for verification. Everything about the process will remain anonymous.
If you are able to donate, please send a check to the Eleanor Smylie Community Fund at the address above. Any amount will help.
Thank you for your consideration.
Here are some early donors:
• James Albert $20
In memory of Albert and Emily Love $100
Albert Mikutis $90
Odd Fellows Trustees Mystic Lodge #270 $250
In memory of Margaret Evans-Tarpinian $25 ••
