American Red Cross Lists Agencies Accepting Donations, Providing Assistance to Families This Holiday Season
News Release: December 11, 2001
Contact: Janice Osborne, Manager-Media & Community Affairs
(610) 865-4400, ext. 262
If you would like to make the holidays a little brighter for others or need assistance for you or your family, but don't know who to call, American Red Cross Valley Wide Help has the answer.
Red Cross Valley Wide Help, an information and referral service of the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley, has compiled a list of area agencies and organizations providing assistance to families this holiday season and seeking donations.
If you are interested in making a donation or need assistance this holiday, the following agencies and organizations can help. Red Cross Valley Wide Help will be adding information to the list as other resources are located. For the most up-to-date information, call Red Cross Valley Wide Help at 610-865-4400.
For a holiday meal or to attend a holiday event, call:
Allentown Rescue Mission
610-740-5500
355 Hamilton Street, Allentown
Saturday, Dec. 23: Brunch at 10 a.m.; Dinner at 4 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 24: Breakfast at 7 a.m.; Lunch at noon; Dinner at 3 p.m.
Christmas Day: Brunch at 10 a.m.; Dinner at 4 p.m.
Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church
610-434-1471
224 North Sixth Street, Allentown
Sunday, Dec. 15: Holiday Dinner at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
St. Paul's Lutheran Church
610-435-9065
38 South Eighth Street, Allentown
Christmas Day: Breakfast at 8 a.m.
Spirit of the Lehigh Valley
610-391-1885
Four Points Sheraton
3400 Airport Road, Allentown
Christmas Eve, Dec. 24: Ninth "annual" free dinner buffet including entertainment and a visit by Santa.
Free bus pick-up. To reserve a seat, contact one of the following agencies:
Allentown: Allentown Rescue Mission, 610-740-5500; Girls Club, 610-433-0093; Hispanic American Organization, 610-435-5334; Program For Women And Families, 610-433-6556; Salvation Army, 610-432-0129
Bethlehem: Center City Ministries, 610-691-3373; Community Services For Children, 610-691-1819; New Bethany Ministries, 610-691-5602; Northampton Housing Authority, 610-759-8848; Northeast Ministries, 610-691-3355; Salvation Army, 610-867-4681; South Bethlehem Neighborhood Center, 610-865-2791; Turning Point, 610-317-9431; Valley Youth House, 610-820-0166
Easton: Boys And Girls Club Of Easton, 610-253-5846; Easton Area Neighborhood Center, 610-253-4253; Project Of Easton, 610-258-9531; Salvation Army, 610-258-9531
Puerto Rican Parade Committee of Allentown
610-776-1168
Sacred Heart Parish House
Sunday, Jan. 6, 2002: Three-Kings Day Celebration from 3-5 p.m.
Free event for Latino children up to the age of 10 living within the City of Allentown celebrating the day of the "Three Kings" providing entertainment, snacks and a gift.
New Bethany Ministries
610-691-5602
333 Fourth Street, Bethlehem
Christmas Day: Brunch at 10:30 a.m.
Trinity SK
610-867-4741
44 East Market Street, Bethlehem
Christmas Day: Dinner from noon-1 p.m.
Project Hope
610-258-3599
Third Street Alliance
41 North Third Street, Easton
Sunday, Dec. 16: Holiday Meal from 2-4 p.m.; includes a visit from Santa and toys for the children
Northeast Ministries
610-691-3355
Serves public housing clients residing in Northeast Bethlehem and Livingston Street.
South Bethlehem Neighborhood Center
610-865-2791
Serves clients residing within the area of ZIP code "18015"
Easton Area Neighborhood Center
610-252-7309
639 Northampton Street, Easton
Holiday food baskets available through the "Share Program"
The Salvation Army of Tamaqua
570-668-0410
Holiday food baskets for residents of Carbon and Schuylkill counties
The following organizations are requesting donations of specific items:
Aids Outreach
610-435-8424
"Christmas Angel": Looking for donations of gifts/food for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS.
Lehigh County Conference of Churches
610-433-6421
Blankets, coats, large-size men's gloves, hats, bar soap, razors, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes and gift items for children such as crayons and coloring books.
Project of Easton
610-258-4361
320 Ferry Street, Easton
"Bundles of Joy"…Using backpacks, totes or duffel bags as "wrapping paper," individuals, families, co-workers, along with school, youth, and church groups are being asked to assemble "bundles of joy." Packages should be labeled appropriate for girl/boy, age/grade level or appropriate for homeless female/male. Deliver unwrapped to the organization's office.
Content guidelines for the "bundles" is as follows:
"School Age Bundle": Backpacks filled with the following suggested school supplies: pencils, pens, two-pocket folders, one-subject notebooks, stickers, glue sticks, Crayola model magic, crayons, markers, colored pencils, flash cards, paperback books. Suggested personal care articles: hats, mittens or gloves, socks, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and/or conditioner, hairbrushes and combs, Chapstick, sealed food item treats such as cookies or candy, small gift items (i.e. stuffed animals, Matchbox cars, fingernail polish, etc.).
"Homeless Bundles": Duffel bags or totebags filled with the following suggested personal care articles: towels, washcloths, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, disposable razors and shaving cream, pots or pans with lids, eating utensils (fork, knife, spoon, plate, bowl, cup), can opener, small canned hams, single-serve food items such as picnic salt and pepper shakers, hats, gloves, mittens, socks, and sweatshirts.
Project Hope
610-258-3599
In need of toys for children who will be attending the holiday meal being held Sunday, Dec. 16.
The Salvation Army of Bethlehem
610-867-4681
Turkeys and canned hams are needed to fill holiday food baskets along with volunteers to pack the baskets.
Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley
610-807-0336
"Holiday Hope Chest": Designed to make the holiday special for homeless and disadvantaged children. Shoeboxes are filled with age-appropriate stocking-stuffer type goodies.
If you want to "adopt a family," call:
Daybreak
610-820-5049
Adopt a participant in the Daybreak program
Sixth Street Shelter
610-435-1490
Family sponsors needed
Ask for Nilia (nmontes@caclv.org)
The Salvation Army of Pen Argyl
610-863-6677
Provide a family with a holiday food basket and/or gifts for the children for families residing in Pen Argyl, Bangor, Roseto, Wind Gap, East Bangor, Portland, Nazareth, Upper Mount Bethel, Plainfield, Stockertown or Washington.
Turning Point -- 610-868-5454
Valley Youth House -- 610-820-0166
Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley
610-807-0336
Keeping a list of those organizations that need volunteers of time and talents during the holiday season.
Red Cross Valley Wide Help is an information and referral service provided by the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley. It is the only service of its kind in the Lehigh Valley offering direct provision of information about social and human services.
The program has been in existence for more than 20 years. Calls are answered Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. by American Red Cross information specialists. After 6 p.m. and on weekends, calls are answered through a voice mail system that offers a menu of referrals to address callers' needs in an emergency situation. For non-emergencies, the voice mail system offers callers the option of leaving a message and requesting a return call.
Accessibility of information and referral services throughout the Lehigh Valley is ensured through the availability of six dedicated telephone numbers, bilingual services to Spanish-speaking callers and a text telephone system for the hearing impaired.
The American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization, led by volunteers, that provides relief to victims of disasters and helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies.
The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents in Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training and emergency relief services to nearly 15,500 Lehigh Valley residents.
