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Christmas is for Kids Program has a Home for 2009 Gift Drive

The former Brennan Middle School and Attleboro High School, located at 135 County St. is this year's home for  Christmas is for Kids. Photo courtesy of Flickr

ATTLEBORO - Christmas Is For Kids has found a home, and the angel is the city and its school department.

In response to a plea for help finding a place to hold its annual Christmas gift drive, the Attleboro Area Council for Children announced Friday that the city of Attleboro and the Attleboro School Department have come to the rescue.

The drop-off center will be at the former Brennan Middle School at 135 County St., which many Attleboro area residents will recognize as the original Attleboro High School.

"We are very grateful to the city and the school department for offering this space," council for children President Kelly Fox said.

"Several people and organizations stepped up to help, so we want to thank Mayor Dumas and all of the realtors and churches and business owners

who tried to help us find space this year. It was a real challenge," she said. The space inside the building will allow for plenty of storage and workroom, as well as security, Fox said.

Fox added she will be working closely with volunteers and police to ensure that traffic around the building runs as smoothly outside as she believes things will run inside.

"We want to be good neighbors to the folks living around the building, so we appreciate their patience on those few days that will be particularly busy as we get to the end of the drive."

Applications for the gift drive will be available after Tuesday in local libraries, social service agencies and YMCAs, as well as on the council's Web site www.councilforchildren.org.

Janette Boulay can be reached by phone or fax at 508-222-0993 or by e-mail at janette.boulay@gmail.com

Click here to go to the Christmas is for Kids™ web site

No Room at the Inn for 'Kids?'Christmas Program Relies on Kind Hearts

THE SUN CHRONICLE - OPINION
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 2:22 AM EDT

Kelly Fox of North Attleboro has 6,000 holiday gift wishes: Each is one square foot of space. It's what will be needed, said the overseer of Christmas is for Kids, to accommodate the bustle of the annual drive. At least 6,000 square feet of room.

Can you answer her call?

Fox, president of the Attleboro Area Council for Children Inc. which sponsors the event and has no permanent residence, relies on the kind-hearted to provide space for the donor center.

Brian Germain, owner of Germain Plumbing and Heating, last year offered up 64 Water St. in Attleboro. But new digs - secure, preferably with free parking - are needed this year.

In 2008 Christmas is for Kids served 753 area children. This year, it expects requests from 900 since Norton residents will become eligible. The gift drive needs a home, and needs it soon.

It's easy to presume that everyone living here recognizes the name Christmas is for Kids. After all, it's been a program of the council for children for 26 years. But for newcomers, an explanation: It's an all-volunteer-run gift-giving program that assists children who would otherwise go without on Christmas Day. There is no paid staff. The council pays for costs such as printing, postage and phone expenses.

All monetary donations are used in their entirety for gifts for these children.

Thanks to the efforts of those who helped start the drive and those who continue to organize and support it, upwards of 20,000 area children have received gifts at Christmastime when they otherwise might have gone without.

The drive, which taps into hundreds of volunteers known as elves, was started when David Kane and Marilyn Godfrey teamed up to see that every child in need received a gift. Recipients may include those on public assistance but also the "working poor" and families experiencing medical or emotional hardships.

Today's uncertain economic climate has put financial strain on many working people. So although many people are working, as the council points out, the high cost of living, rent, utilities and food heavily siphon income. It takes only a lost job or a medical emergency to turn life upside down, leaving precious little for gifts for children.

Someone out there has space sufficient to meet the needs this year of Christmas is for Kids which will soon put out the call for volunteers and for donations. Is it you?

Council for Children Honors Champions

BY JANETTE BOULAY FOR THE SUN CHRONICLE
Monday, March 23, 2009 2:18 AM EDT

Nancy Young, owner of Attleboro Jewelry Makers, was honored for her help over the years as a supporter of the Council and for donating space for the 2007 Christmas Is For Kids drive. As noted by Fox, Young also was recognized "for her commitment to helping children in Attleboro in ways that most people don't know about, such as mentoring more than 30 teens over the years, often times helping them get into college."

Brian Germain, the owner of Germain Plumbing, was recognized for donating space to the 2008 Christmas Is For Kids drive as well as for contributing to the drive.

According to Fox, Dream Dinners and its guests raised hundreds of dollars to sponsor one particularly hard-hit family in 2008 by giving them a pantry make-over and enough cash to buy a new refrigerator, and Jessick and Fies also brought lunch to the elves during Christmas Is For Kids, did a hat-and-mitten drive for the program, sponsored some of the children on the drive and also have helped with the council's Happy Birthday Backpack program.

The Greater Attleboro Leo Club, based at Attleboro High School, was recognized for making 75 stockings each year for the Christmas Is For Kids children, and for providing hope for tomorrow, according to Fox, who said, "If you ever need reassurance that we're leaving the world in good hands, you need to meet these students. These teens are wonderful!"

Sheila McKenna of Attleboro, although not able to attend, was recognized for having led a book drive through her Bridgewater State College alumni association and collected more than 400 books for the Council.

Borders Books in North Attleboro and in Mansfield, and the Children's Place at Emerald Square mall on Route 1 in North Attelboro.

Although these three retailers also were not present, they were recognized for their support of the Christmas Is For Kids drive. Borders Books in North Attleboro and in Mansfield each collected more than 1,000 books for the drive, and The Children's Place at Emerald Square mall, came to the rescue during the last few days of the drive as volunteers scrambled to make sure that all of the children had clothes.

"The employees at all three stores were incredibly helpful and patient, really trying to be sure that we had exactly the right item for each child," Fox said.

"We have found wonderful partners at each location and look forward to working with them going forward."

The Council for Children's board of directors includes Debra Mark, Anne Bibeault, Sandra Newfield, Deborah Hegarty, Dave Kane, Alan Goldberg, Laura Dolan, Meredith Brooks, Karen Reimels, Judy Romero, Liz Cochrane and Nancy Monroe.

The council invites others to join as well, noting that it meets the third Monday evening of each month. To volunteer, visit councilforchildren.org