December 11, 2008

The charity wish list
A guide to helping out
By Heidi Masek, Jeff Mucciarone, Dana Unger and Doran Dal Pra news@hippopress.com

Chalk it up to the holiday spirit. Between giving thanks in late November and giving gifts in late December, it’s easy to catch the mood of giving to others. Particularly this year, when it seems like everybody’s doing more with less and stories of increased need abound.

If you feel the urge to help out, there are plenty of places that would be happy to accept your donation of money, time, food or clothes and home goods. Even if you are also doing more with less, if you find yourself getting into the giving spirit, there are ways to help that don’t cost a dime.

Below is a list of some of the groups offering a helping hand to people in southern New Hampshire. Reporters asked them what problems the current economic climate (not to mention the actual weather — winter means a variety of season-specific hardships) was causing them and what specific needs they had. This is not an exhaustive list of charities, but it’s a good place to start. If you know of a group not mentioned here that helps people with basic needs, let us know about it at news@hippopress.com.

• AMERICAN RED CROSS
The Red Cross has several locations across New Hampshire and provides disaster relief and emergency aid as well as social services like blood drives and emergency education courses. Its Disaster Relief Fund gives financial assistance to those whose lives are affected by disasters like fires or floods. There’s been a recent decline in donations to the Fund, which also provides money for classes and educational visits to area schools. “Contributions from the public are an important part of keeping this chapter going,” said Becky Field, director of communications for the Red Cross Granite Chapter in Concord. “Donations keep us going. We don’t have the capacity to sort through physical donations of food or clothing; the most effective way is to give money, because with money we can meet people’s needs more effectively,” said Manchester-branch Executive Director Lisa Michaud.

What you can do: Primarily, the Red Cross is looking for financial donations, which can be sent directly to the local branch of your choice. Information on volunteer and donation opportunities (including blood donation) can be found on each branch’s Web site. For Nashua: NH Gateway Chapter, 28 Concord St., Nashua NH 03064, 889-6664, nashua.redcross.org. For Concord: Granite Chapter, American Red Cross 2 Maitland St., Concord, NH, 03301, 800-464-6692, 225-6697, info@redcross-concordnh.org. For Manchester: Greater Manchester Red Cross, 1800 Elm St., Manchester, NH 03104, 624-4307, www.redcrossmanchester.org.

• ANIMAL SHELTERS
Local shelters are seeing more people unable to afford caring for pets. The Humane Society of Greater Nashua was holding about 180 cats in a shelter built for 70, said development director Mark Jesionowski. Lin O’Bara, director of development at the Concord-Merrimack County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Penacook, said her shelter expects donations to be off. The Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford saw about 1,500 animals last year and is projecting up to 2,000 this year, said Robin Ahlgren, events coordinator and community relations. Cats are the biggest issue, as they are particularly efficient breeders; officials at the Manchester Animal Shelter have also experienced problems with feline overcrowding.

What you can do: Gift cards, gift cards and more gift cards. With overcrowding at shelters, storage space is increasingly limited. Gift cards to pet stores, grocery stores and even Wal-Mart, which offers cheap cat litter, are especially in need, as they allow shelter workers to purchase supplies when needed and when storage space is available. Ahlgren said volunteers who can help with cleaning between 9 and 11 a.m. Monday through Friday are especially in need. Shelters also urge people who are thinking of adopting to do so now. Officials urged pet owners who are finding out they can’t afford to care for an animal to bring it to a shelter rather than leaving it behind, so that workers can get its medical history and learn about its personality. Despite crowding, shelters are looking for supplies as well, such as gently used towels or bedding for the animals, cat litter, hand sanitizer, latex gloves, etc. Contact your local shelter to see what they need. (Humane Society for Greater Nashua,  24 Ferry Road, Nashua, www.hsfn.org, 889-2275; Concord-Merrimack County SPCA, 130 Washington St. Penacook, www.concordspca.org, 753-6751; Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire 545 Route 101 Bedford, www.rescueleague.org, 472-3647; Manchester Animal Shelter 490 Dunbarton Road, Manchester, manchesteranimalshelter.org, 628-3544.)

• ANNE-MARIE HOUSE
“Donations are down. Need is up,” Laurie Skibba said. Greater Nashua Interfaith Hospitality Network Inc. operates Anne-Marie House in Hudson, which provides transitional shelter, support and meals for families and can fit up to 24 people. It’s been at capacity longer with a longer wait list in the poor economy, Skibba said. The Anne-Marie House grew from GNIHN’s practice of rotating the hosting of families needing shelter among area congregations.

What you can do: Donations of gift cards in any amount to anywhere provide maximum flexibility, Skibba said. For guests wondering what kind of Christmas their kids will have, or how to get necessities, gift cards are answers. Mail them to Greater Nashua Interfaith Hospitality Network, Inc. at Anne-Marie House, 80 Lowell Road, Hudson, NH, 03051. Call 883-7338.

• BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
There are seven Boys & Girls Clubs in New Hampshire and they serve about 19,000 kids each year. The clubs in Concord, Derry, the Lakes Region, Manchester, Nashua, Salem and Souhegan Valley all have a history of good community support, said Mary Ann Oppenheimer, statewide director of advancement. While the annual club membership fees are quite low, an average of $23 per year, they are seeing an increase in needs for scholarships. The clubs don’t turn away anyone for lack of money, but subsidizing more members strains the rest of the clubs’ budgets.

What you can do: The clubs can use monetary donations to cover operating expenses and scholarships. If you want to volunteer, Boys & Girls Clubs have core program areas such as “Character & Leadership Development” you can help with. Links to the clubs are at www.nhbgc.com.

• CAPITAL REGION FOOD PROGRAM
The CRFP, an all-volunteer organization working to reduce hunger in the greater Concord area, is one of the few organizations to report that it isn’t hurting. The group is in the midst of a holiday food drive, which requires 800 to 1,000 volunteers. “We are fully booked with volunteers,” said Tori Berube, publicity chair. “We’re seeing a dramatic increase in the number of donations from a number of different organizations, and a great turnout of people doing food drives, donating and giving of themselves.” Berube says, although it’s still early, all indications are that the organization is on schedule to meet donation numbers from last year. But CRFP is always looking for financial donations and non-perishable goods.

• What you can do: CRFP’s Web site, www.capitalregionfoodprogram.org, has information on donating, volunteering and hosting a food drive. Money can be dropped into one of canisters in the 17 communities where the CRFP operates. Call 231-1396.

• THE CAREGIVERS OF NH
Caregivers’ service is provided by volunteers who use their own gas and vehicles to bring Caregivers clients to grocery stores and medical appointments, explained Bernadette Douzanis, development and resource manager. About 175 volunteers help serve about 750 clients in greater Manchester and Nashua. The Caregivers’ mission is to help frail, elderly and disabled people “maintain their independence and dignity through the spirit of voluntarism,” she said. Transportation is their most requested service, but Douzanis said it’s really the personal presence of the volunteer (who might also help carry in groceries and read labels) that helps clients maintain independence and prevent isolation. Caregivers has seen a greater influx of calls, in particular for its new mobile food pantry, “Caregivers Caring Cupboard.” It was developed to deliver supplemental groceries to seniors monthly, but clients are using it for main grocery supplies. Douzanis expects a doubling of services of the mobile pantry in 2009. The food comes from private donations, distribution centers, food drives and the Food Bank. Businesses adopt a month, and employees make deliveries using their own vehicles, she said. To use Caregivers services, clients need to show financial need and a lack of other local support systems. With the “changing dynamics of society, there’s not always family around,” Douzanis said.

What you can do: Caregivers doesn’t get state, federal or United Way funding, so individual donations and volunteers are its main source of support. Those are always welcome, she said, and “food donations for the Cupboard are fantastic” — they prefer nonperishable items from the public, and usually buy fresh produce and bread from the Food Bank on the day of the mobile pantry delivery. Douzanis said keeping the “spirit of volunteerism” throughout the year would also help. There are lots of efforts around the holidays, but she recommends keeping Caregivers in mind in the summer, too. Seniors can get “very lonely,” she said. There are seasonal projects to help with, and monthly birthday surprises when volunteers bring cookies, balloons and birthday greetings. Donate or find information at www.caregiversnh.org or call 622-4948.

• CASA OF NH
Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA) recruits, trains and supervises volunteer advocates for children who are in the court system because they were neglected, abused or abandoned. CASA of NH has seen an increase of cases over the past several months, said Marcia (Marty) Sink, president and CEO. Typically, CASA of NH sees 70 to 80 new cases per quarter. They had more than 100 cases over the last quarter, she said. “That’s obviously very concerning that the incidence of child abuse [is rising], and I would suspect domestic violence, as well,” Sink said. Unfortunately, that’s “fairly typical” in challenging economic times, she said. CASA is struggling with fundraising and Sink thinks it will continue to be challenging over the next year.

What you can do: Sink said the need for financial support and “Guardians ad Litem” is “greater than ever.” Volunteer GALs average about 10 to 15 hours per month on a case, she said. (According to www.casanh.org, volunteers need to commit to the length of each case they work on, usually about two years. They usually have only one or two cases.) Probably about 70 percent of their approximately 400 volunteers have full-time jobs, Sink said. They might meet with the child they represent on weekends and make calls to attorneys and social workers during lunch hour.  Monetary support is used for screening, training (ongoing for volunteers, after a 40-hour initial training), supervising GALs and “keeping the lights on” in five regional offices around the state. Make a donation online or call 800-626-0622 for details, such as how to provide gifts-in-kind. An easy way to help is by ordering holiday cards from www.casanh.org — they are designed by area artists and children.

• CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES
Child and Family Services of New Hampshire provides a wide variety of social services like child abuse prevention, camps and foster home programs to strengthen the well-being of struggling families. It also operates a food pantry and a clothing closet and needs volunteers for those. Corporations and individuals are needed to sponsor food drives. According to Communications Director Kat Strange, CFS is currently serving more people than in the past 25 years at the poverty level. Financial donations are also needed. “Ninety-two cents on every dollar goes directly to the end user,” Strange said.

What you can do: Financial donations can be made at www.cfsnh.org or by calling the Development Office at 800-640-6486 ext. 4130. To volunteer, call the Development Office, 464 Chestnut St., Manchester, at 800-640-6486 or 518-4000.

• CHILD HEALTH SERVICES
Child Health Services provides medical care, social support services and nutrition consultation to roughly 2,000 infants, children and adolescents from low-income families in greater Manchester. Many of its programs rely on donor dollars, and “financial support is the most important need right now,” said Fred Rusczek, executive director. “There is always an opportunity to volunteer, but it’s the financial support that we can turn around and put into the health and well-being of low-income kids.” Visit www.childhealthservices.org.

• What you can do: Mail a check directly to their Manchester address, 1245 Elm St., Manchester, NH 03101. Would-be volunteers should call CHS at 668-6629 and ask to speak with the volunteer coordinator.

• DRESS FOR SUCCESS
By providing disadvantaged women with professional clothing, Dress for Success seeks to promote economic independence and career development for women throughout the state. “The need is pretty great right now,” said Executive Director Mary McGahan. “With the winter season and the economy in particular, people are looking for work now more than ever.”

What you can do: The organization has more than enough professional suits but needs items to go with them — blouses, accessories and shoes that are either new or barely worn. Donations as small as $10 can help Dress for Success buy items through its clothing distributors. Call 224-8683 or visit www.dressforsuccess.org.

• EASTER SEALS
Easter Seals isn’t hurting terribly on a day-to-day basis, but the organization, which serves people with disabilities or special needs and their families, has had to postpone for six months a major campaign for a health care clinic in Manchester originally scheduled for early February 2009, said Karen Van Der Beken, senior vice president of development. While Easter Seals has seen all its major sponsors turn out this year, it has seen a decline in revenue from its direct mailing program. “Those individuals are not giving as often or not at all,” Van Der Beken said. “We’re recognizing our donors might not be able to be as generous as they normally would be.”

What you can do: Many of the children staying with Easter Seals don’t go home for the holidays, so the organization welcomes gift cards or toys for kids, as well as food donations. With its adult day program, Easter Seals has a substantial amount of elderly folks in its care, for whom it is seeking suitable holiday gifts such as movie or theater tickets, pre-paid bus or taxi tickets, books on tape, or gift certificates for cleaning services,  restaurants or pharmacies. Financial contributions or gift cards can be mailed to Easter Seals New Hampshire, 555 Auburn St., Manchester, NH 03103. Donations can also be made at www.eastersealsnh.org. Call 623-8863. Toys or goods can be dropped off at any Easter Seals location.

• EMILY’S PLACE
This YWCA-run shelter in Manchester helps victims of domestic and sexual violence and has a continual need for help, says Monica Zulauf, executive director of YWCA. “We do get more help this time of year, but people tend to buy stuff like stuffed animals, and for families in need, that’s not a big priority for them,” Zulauf said. Due to storage and public safety concerns, the shelter is unable to take soft donations.

What you can do: Monetary donations of any level are always needed, but the shelter is looking for gift cards for big box stores like Wal-Mart or Target, as well as gas cards. Volunteers are needed for their 24-hour crisis line, the kids’ after-school program, or just to share a hobby or craft. The shelter is also looking for people to donate labor, such as painting or building maintenance. Call 625-5785.

• FAMILIES IN TRANSITION
FIT, which works to provide those in need with safe, affordable housing, has seen demand for its services grow in recent months. Robin Abbott, director of community relations, said more people have come to them recently who have never come before, many due to home foreclosures or because landlords foreclosed. “The demand is very strong right now. The need is intense,” Abbott said. The organization provides housing, and services such as relapse prevention, credit counseling or helping parents talk with teachers about their children. FIT received about 5,000 referrals last year and 3,000 were for kids, Abbott said.

What you can do: The organization has two thrift stores — 161 South Beech St. and 394 Second St. — that need of donations and volunteers. The Web site, www.fitnh.org, lists the goods FIT accepts, but clothing and furniture are the two main types of donations needed. Families in Transition also needs volunteer help with its homework programs. As the organization moves families to new locations, it provides them with “essential baskets” that could include silverware, plates, sheets and other essential needs, Abbott said. The group is looking for brand new items for the essential baskets. “We want to make people feel really good when they move into a new place,” Abbott said. Checks made out to Families in Transition can be mailed to 122 Market St., Manchester NH 03101. Donations can be made through the Web site as well. Call 641-9441.

• THE FRIENDS PROGRAM
The Friends Program, 249 Pleasant St. in Concord, works to promote community service by connecting volunteers to members of the community in need of help and support. “We are always starved for volunteers,” said Jerry Madden, the executive director. “Our goal is to get people to give more of their time.” The Friends Program operates shelters, provides mentors for children and coordinates volunteer operations. “We have a lot of volunteers, but we serve throughout the state, so people are very spread out. … Our programs are designed to help family, especially in these tough times,” Madden said.

What you can do: Financial donations and volunteer inquires can be addressed at www.friendsprogram.org. Monetary gifts can be mailed to the organization’s headquarters and can be earmarked for a specific program. Call 800-536-1193 or 228-1193, or e-mail admin@friendsprogram.org.

• GREATER MANCHESTER AIDS PROJECT
Providing prevention programs as well as assistance to people living with HIV and AIDS, the Greater Manchester AIDS Project says its needs are even greater this holiday season. “The funds are shrinking, yet the number of our clients is increasing,” said Lily Spooner, director of operations.

What you can do: The Project is looking for donations of Christmas toys for several children, as well as general donations of clothing and non-perishable foods. They are also looking for monetary donations that they can use toward providing funeral expenses for their clients, as well as information from people as to available Section 8 residencies, so that they can help keep people in housing. Call 623-0710 or visit www.mvap.org.

• MAKE-A-WISH
With more than 60 wishes waiting to be granted, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Hampshire has more wishes in waiting than it’s ever had, said Julie Baron, Chief Executive Officer. “At the same time that the economy has worsened, there are limited dollars going to charities, and at the same time we’re having an increase in the number of children who are waiting for a wish,” Baron said. The organization grants wishes to children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions, and Baron said the foundation works to make sure every eligible child in New Hampshire has his or her wish granted. Baron attributed the high rate of wishes in waiting to Make-A-Wish’s successful community outreach.

What you can do: Aside from financial contributions, Make-A-Wish could use donations of toys or gifts to be used when staff members visit with children. “We usually go in with an icebreaker gift,” Baron said. Considering past wishes have been as simple as wanting a puppy and as elaborate as digging for dinosaur bones, cash donations cover a wide range, but the foundation is always looking for people who can provide services. One little girl’s wish is to have a play area created in her backyard. Electricians, carpenters or people who work in construction can often provide valuable services, Baron said. “All those little things really add up,” Baron said. “It really does give them so much hope, so much strength. Most of all it really gives them sheer joy, and it’s something these families have forever.” Donations can be made at www.newhampshire.wish.org or by mailing checks to 814 Elm St. Suite 300, Manchester, NH 03101. Call 623-9474.

• MARGUERITE’S PLACE
People are still giving, but sometimes it’s in smaller amounts now, said Beverly Doolan, director of programs at Marguerite’s Place in Nashua. In the past, company charity projects collected money to support transitional housing and services for women and children. Now Doolan is seeing some of those switch to holding food or personal care product drives for Marguerite’s Place. “That’s just as valuable to us,” Doolan said. Doolan explained that people need to be currently homeless to use Marguerite’s Place, which offers housing, child care, skills development and case management. “There aren’t too many transitional housing programs around, so we have a pretty steady flow,” Doolan said. The number of clients they serve has stayed about the same, but they’ve been getting “a lot more phone calls,” Doolan said.

What you can do: They have a small food pantry for their day care where they provide breakfast and lunch, and can use more nonperishable donations. “It’s surprising how quickly you go through,” Doolan said. A pre-paid gas card makes a difference, since all the women at Marguerite’s Place work or attend classes. “It’s an area we know is critical for their jobs or education,” Doolan said. Grocery store gift cards, even in small amounts like $5 or $10, can also make a difference, Doolan said. You can find a wish list at www.margueritesplace.org. Marguerite’s Place is trying to establish a more formalized volunteer base, Doolan said. If interested, call 598-1582.

• MEALS ON WHEELS
Providing 1,550 meals per weekday to people in need all over Hillsborough County, Meals on Wheels is preparing more than 100 meals per day more than they were 18 months ago, and is seeing dwindling donations,  said President Meghan Brady. Volunteers on 58 different delivery routes are covering the state’s two largest cities and plenty of rural areas in between. Workers for the program, which is a component of St. Joseph’s Community Services in Merrimack, cook all its meals hot in Manchester before packaging them to be distributed to 12 community sites, where the meals are dispersed to volunteer drivers, who hand-deliver the piping hot meals, Brady said — and Meals on Wheels provides weekend meals to those in need as well. Brady has seen more people looking for help recently, partly because “careful savings of a lifetime can dwindle dramatically.” Brady said Meals on Wheels is not an entitlement program, but the organization still does not have a waiting list of potential clients. They’d like to keep it that way, she said.

What you can do: The organization is always looking for volunteer drivers to give one and a half to two hours one day per week. “People may not realize the Meals on Wheels driver may be the only person our clients see all day long,” Brady said. “It’s also a safety check.” While drivers are the biggest need, the program can also use help in the kitchen and in the office.  Call 424-9967 or visit www.mealsonwheelsnh.org. Mail donations to St. Joseph Community Services, PO Box 910, Merrimack, NH 03054.

• MENTAL HEALTH CENTER OF GREATER MANCHESTER
“This time of year we really see an upturn in the amount of people we are seeing for our services,” said Ken Snow, a social worker and vice president for the Center’s community relations. “Many people suddenly realize they have a mental health condition during the holidays — they see the sharp contrast between their own feelings and the messages of joy and happiness around them.”

What you can do: The center is seeking people willing to help out with maintenance for its building, including residential facilities. This includes painting, small repairs and cleanup. A new vehicle is needed, as well as new or slightly used waiting room furniture in good condition, and donations of any size to the annual fund are welcome. “This helps to cover fees and services, so we don’t have to turn people away,” Snow said. Contact Ken Snow at 668-4111 or visit www.mhcgm.org.

• THE MOORE CENTER
Serving individuals with developmental disabilities, The Moore Center provides family support, home care services and assisted living opportunities year-round. “We’re finding the holiday and winter season is presenting a challenge to the families that we work with,” said Paul Boynton, the organization’s president.

What you can do: Donate gift cards for grocery stores, department stores and all-purpose stores for their clients. Its new program, Moore Options for Seniors, needs monetary donations to assist elderly clients who are living independently, in addition to donations of stationary, slippers and other quality-of-life items. Call 206-2700 or visit www.moorecenter.org.

• NASHUA PASTORAL CARE CENTER
Carol Connor, director of development and public relations, thinks donations are down slightly. Pastoral Care Center programs include transitional housing, homelessness prevention and intervention, crisis assistance, financial literacy and a holiday program; PCC now co-administers The Telegraph’s Santa Fund. They are almost finished with their first major fundraiser of the year, their “Penny Picker” campaign. (Penny Picker volunteers from civic, faith, and other groups basically extend a good reason to empty your spare change jar annually.) Connor said final counts aren’t in yet from the effort, but sponsorship for the program decreased. As donations for food banks are down everywhere, it’s the same for Care Center’s food pantry, she said.

What you can do: Kim Rodrigues, director of business operations, said about 500 families are signed up for the holiday program/Santa Fund — a little more than last year at this time. The program provides gifts for the children (usually about 1,200). About half the families are “adopted” by businesses and individuals who are given wish lists; the adopters cover the costs. For the other half, the Center sends volunteer shoppers out with Wal-Mart and Target gift cards. A few new businesses joined in adopting this year, and they haven’t lost any, Rodrigues reported. A few more volunteer shoppers are needed; call 886-2866 x17 or e-mail jclancy@nashuanpcc.org. See www.nashuanpcc.org. Rodrigues said they can always use more funds.

• NASHUA SOUP KITCHEN AND SHELTER
Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter has seen “huge increases in people coming for help,” said Irene Brady, a social worker there. It started about nine months ago, and they’ve seen about 20 new people per week for the past several months. Some are one-time visitors. And people newly in need are time-consuming for those in the field. “In New Hampshire ... we have to walk people through a maze,” sending them to this nonprofit for one thing, that church for another, Brady said. And while NSKS has plenty of information to offer, visitors don’t always pipe up about their situations. NSKS gave out 707 turkeys for Thanksgiving, probably 75 more than last year; oddly, in better economic times, NSKS has had to put out alerts seeking turkeys to fill requests. They didn’t need to this year.

What you can do: NSKS has been offered matching funds from an anonymous donor through Dec. 31. Therefore, monetary donations are the big priority right now, since everything up to $500,000 will be matched. Donate online at www.nsks.org or mail checks to NSK&S, PO Box 3116, Nashua, NH 03061-3116. Or bring food donations to the green door at 42 Chestnut St. in Nashua. Call 889-7770 ext. 21 for details. A wish list is posted at www.nsks.org.

• NEW HORIZONS FOOD PANTRY
New Horizons, which provides a soup kitchen, food pantry and shelter for the homeless, is seeing a significant drop in the number of donations to its pantry. Food service manager Mary Silva has had to turn people away because there isn’t enough food. “We have several big food drives over the year, and this year those food drives have been less than half of what they usually are,” Silva said. “We’ve seen a big difference in the schools and their food drives. Parents have been seeing a bit of a hard time and that translates into the kids not being able to bring food. We’ve also had to scale back the scope of the holiday baskets because of the lack of donations,” she said.

• What you can do: Both financial and food donations are important to New Horizons. Volunteers are needed especially on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Pick up a volunteer application at the pantry. See www.newhorizonsfornh.org or call 668-1877.

• NH FOOD BANK
The NH Food Bank (62 W. Brook St. in Manchester, 669-9725; www.nhfoodbank.org) serves as the only food bank in the state, distributing food to hundreds of food pantries, soup kitchens, day care centers and other facilities. “Demand is up this year,” said Michelle Garron, operations manager. “We’re seeing a 40-percent increase in demand from agencies and it’s especially difficult in the winter months for us.”

What you can do: Non-perishable goods are in constant demand, particularly canned proteins, such as soups, tuna and chicken, as well as peanut butter, canned vegetables and fruits. The bank is also looking for frozen turkey donations this time of year and encourages people to consider inventive food drives for items. “People can do a stuffing drive, where they just collect boxed stuffing to donate,” Garron said. The bank is also looking for volunteers for their food drives. Contact Nicki Phillips at 669-9725.

• THE SALVATION ARMY
The holiday season is the biggest time of year for The Salvation Army, but after the season is over the need remains great, said associate director of the Manchester chapter Major Joyce Hartshorn. “So many of our donations happen this time of year,” Hartshorn said, “but the need for our services continues long after the new year.”

What you can do: The organization recently began a senior program for the east side of Manchester, for which it seeks monetary donations to provide meals, recreation and volunteer opportunities. Also needed are donations for warming centers, the heating exchange, and the oil bill program. The Army has a food pantry in need of family-sized cereal, peanut butter and canned pasta. They are currently collecting socks and underwear for kids between 5 and 12 years old. Volunteers are still needed for Toy Shop sorting at the National Guard Amory and for red-kettle bell-ringing. Call 627-7013 to reach the Manchester location. The Salvation Army also has centers in Derry, Nashua, Concord, Laconia and Rochester; see www.use.salvationarmy.org.

• THE SOUTHERN N.H. HIV/AIDS TASK FORCE
 Supporting infrastructure is still a challenge for the Southern N.H. HIV/AIDS Task Force, said Wendy Furnari, assistant director. It fortunately has federal grants to cover services it offers. But those grants don’t cover overhead, such as office rent, a fax line, etc. Services include support groups, substance abuse counseling, nutrition counseling, mental health counseling, emergency housing and utility help, transportation and testing. The Task Force serves approximately 130 HIV-positive individuals and their families. Its prevention program reaches more than 1,000 students plus high-risk men. It serves mainly Greater Nashua but will offer services to anyone in the state.

What you can do: They need unrestricted cash to support their services, since much of their funding can’t be used for operating expenses. The Task Force keeps a food pantry as well. Donations of any food or personal care items or financial assistance would help. They have limited volunteer opportunities as a small agency, but “if someone feels strongly” about giving time, he or she can call 595-8464. The Task Force is at 12 Amherst St. in Nashua.

• UNITED WAY
The United Way, which works to raise money to invest back into communities in the areas of education, health and wellness, and economic self-sufficiency, is projecting it will come in 1 to 2 percent less than its fundraising goal this year of $3.55 million, said Patrick Tufts, president of Heritage United Way in Manchester. Some long-time supporters have had to “take a break because of their own economic issues,” Tufts said. Monday, Dec. 1, was the deadline for local requests for next year, and those have totaled about $2.4 million. The organization is projecting it will be about 25 to 30 percent off that amount. “It’s definitely a sign of the times,” Tufts said.

What you can do: Tufts asks people to consider an unrestricted donation, which, he said, is the fastest way to make a positive impact. If people can’t make a donation, the United Way is constantly looking for volunteers, Tufts said, and people can go to their local United Way Web site or call the organization’s statewide 211 information referral line to get involved. “There’s a lot going on in the city of Manchester and in New Hampshire around preparing for the winter, stay-warm projects, housing and food,” Tufts said. Monetary donations can be sent to Heritage United Way, 228 Maple St. Fourth Floor, Manchester, NH 03103. Visit www.heritageunitedway.org to donate online. Call 625-6939.