Along with a turkey dinner and gathering with family, Thanksgiving brings another holiday tradition — the annual Help Them To Hope fund campaign.
Now in its 62nd year, the communitywide fundraiser that began with leftover coffee collection money that was given to charity by News-Sun pressmen, continues its mission to connect donations to those who need a helping hand, in essence providing hope.
And this year especially, we need hope, said Rich Ribando, president of HTTH.
He admitted to be struggling this year with the writing of the annual newsletter that helps kickoff the campaign on Thanksgiving Day.
As president of the nonprofit organization that collects donations to give to select social service agencies in the county, Ribando said he’s finding it difficult to ignore the woes of the pandemic, of a struggling economy and the violence and injustices happening in the U.S. and across the world.
“It’s been a tough year,” he said. “People are facing all kinds of things they never had to before.”
But despite sorrow and struggles, there are blessings on which to focus.
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For years, people have opened their hearts and wallets to give to the campaign, knowing it will reach those who truly have it worse.
Ribando said that kindness has a positive impact.
Last year, the campaign collected nearly $40,000.
Ribando said previous years have seen much bigger collections. But, that people still gave in the midst of a pandemic shows the goodwill of the community.
“It’s nice to be associated with something good like HTTH,” he said.
Eight agencies benefit from HTTH this year. They are A Safe Place, Beacon Place, Catholic Charities of Lake County, COOL Ministries, Keeping Families Covered, Mothers Trust Foundation, PADS Lake County and Roberti Community House.
Mothers Trust Foundation Executive Director Paula Turelli, said the organization is in its 23rd year of being a provider of gap funding that covers what other agencies can’t through small grants requested from schools and other agencies.
Examples of that are clothing, field trip fees for schoolchildren, uniforms and sports equipment for students who want to participate in athletics.
“We feel that although small, these grants provide an opportunity for children to participate in activities that give them confidence,” Turelli said.
This year, there was a record need for rental and utility assistance.
“I think the people who come to Mothers Trust have been definitely impacted by COVID more than others,” she said.
Thanks in part to the HTTH donations, Mothers Trust was able to send 249 kids to camp this year.
After a year of isolation during the pandemic-caused lockdown, Turelli said kids who received the grant got to see friends and do activities outdoors, which helped their mental health.
Working with the Lake County health department, the foundation also fills requests for car seats and pack-and-play cribs so parents can take their baby home safely.
Christina Douglas, chief of grant development at A Safe Place, said the need for counseling at the domestic abuse organization went up by 1,660% this year.
“Imagine being a kid and having to deal with so much trauma,” Douglas said.
The need for shelter quadrupled.
“We’ve been busy,” she said. “People were more isolated, and human trafficking gained traction.”
She’s thankful for those who generously donated to HTTH last year, and for those who will this year and next.
If there is good news to spread, it is that the HTTH board of directors maintains the campaign by giving their time and their own money to run the organization so that every cent donated goes to the selected social service agencies that provide assistance for people in need.
It is also that through a variety of payment methods donors can use on the helpthemtohope.com website, the goodwill can continue.
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