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Marshfield Community Christmas is an organization that provides Christmas gifts and food gift certificates to families who are faced with economic hardship during the holiday season in Marshfield.
Since 1989, Scituate Community Christmas has helped provide food and new Christmas gifts to qualifying low-income families in Scituate. Since 1989, the organization has served hundreds of families needing assistance.
The Wish Project , based in Lowell, sponsors a program called The Magic of Christmas, which helps to provide basic necessary items to individuals and families enduring financial hardship in the Merrimack Valley region.
The Santa Foundation, located in Franklin, gathers and distributes gifts to area families in need during the holidays.
Catholic Charities, based in Boston, has offices statewide that may be able to provide assistance to families experiencing financial hardship during the holidays.
Boston's Christmas in the City program distributes gifts during Christmas time and also has year-round programs, which match up sponsors and families in need through an "Adopt-A-Family" program.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
How can I find help for my kinds for Christmas? I have three children of my own and am a single mother. I have two girls and 1 boy and it's kind of difficult for me to buy my kids what they want for Christmas. I have a job, yes, but am low income. I don't even have a Christmas tree for my family. Any ideas are appreciated.
By fiordaliza from Lawrence, MA
That's all well and awesome to be able to be satisfied with those wonderful memories, but try telling that to a child who sees everyone else " getting what they asked for", yet he received these most beautiful memories to share, instead...not gonna work. Would you have been able to absorb this as a child, and be satisfied? I know I couldn't hav!! We, as adults, are able to process the most important lessons that involve complex thought processes...such as what you mentioned. But many children are not intellectually capable of looking at things the way adults can( though these days kids seem to be soooo advanced!).
I am a father of a one year old girl who deserves a decent Christmas. I just finished school and haven't found a job yet so I have no income as of right now. Are there any places in Boston that can help? I didn't know there was a time restriction so a lot of them have no funds left.
By Thomas K.
I have seen people post on Facebook and Craigslist for help in these difficult times. I would clearly state that you're not asking for money, but for a gift for a child and the age.
Hi!
You can go to 2hands.org or holidays relief.com, there's a list of different webside you can visit. I just place an add on craigslist call, Help for the holidays. I hope this information can help you.
I am new to this. I am also not posting on behalf of myself. I'm a 28 year old single mom from Massachusetts. I have a beautiful 2 year old boy. And he's all I need for Christmas. :)
I am writing for a friend, she's a single mother of 3, 2 twin 4 year olds and a 17 year old. Two months ago even though she was struggling, she agreed to adopt her niece and nephew from their drug addicted mother. So now she has 2 twin 4 year old girls, one 17 year old girl, a 16 year old girl, and a 9 year old boy.
She's sleeping on the couch just to accommodate the children. These kinds of selfless acts are hard to come by these days, and although she dosen't know I am doing this, I know she needs help. Toys for Tots won't give anything to the adopted children, and she was laid off a month ago and hasn't gotten unemployment yet.
I've never done this before so if anyone has any advice I would appreciate it. I wish I could help her myself, nothing would make me happier but I lost my job too, and have been homeless for two months, and I have to start chemotherapy next year. So I am not in a position to help. These kids have been through a lot. I just want to give them the Christmas miracle they deserve.
Thank you for any advice and please pray for us.
Love from someone who believes good people are still out there!
By Lauren from Worcester, MA
Most of the charities that provide Christmas help have age cut off limits of 12-13 years. This is because the teenagers are old enough to understand the situation. Speak to your pastor about this. Sometimes they will take up a special, anonymous offering to help somebody, usually in their congregation, but being you are doing this for another family it might be done for that too. There is a national HELP Line number that people can call, it is 211 and they are supposed to keep a list of help available in different areas.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
Charities that offer help during the holiday season in Massachusetts. Please post feedback about any charities you may know about.
Editor's Note: Do NOT post here if you need help. ThriftyFun does not have resources to give direct help to those in need.
I am not sure exactly what charities you are looking for, but for food, every town has a good food pantry and each town has different rules. Our town did require that you go through a local church, but has since changed to taking direct calls. All churches have discretionary funds for help towards emergencies and of course the Salvation Army is well known for helping. For toys, again most churches at this time are taking names, the Toys for Tots are in December, for furniture contact your church or your town probably has a social worked attached to their senior center. But they also have resources to help all residents. There is lots of help out there and usually if one agency cannot help they know the names and numbers to refer you to. Good luck. (11/17/2005)
By Cheaperthancheap
