Holiday Helpers anticipates surpassing last year's total of 3,700 community members helped

The Holiday Helpers program will return for the third year, and a program coordinator expects they will assist more than last year’s total of 3,709 community members.

The program solicits donations of food and gifts from around Akwesasne, which come from people and businesses and are given to those in ‘need’ who apply for help.

“We’re continuing this tradition for the community because there are a lot of people in need,” said Starr Thomas, a volunteer coordinator for Holiday Helpers.

She said the program committee hopes anyone in need will apply for assistance.

“We try to include everybody,” Thomas said. “There’s no criteria other than being a member of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe or the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne.

“Anyone can come get a nice meal for their families.”

The program goes to all of Akwesasne.

“We try to hit up all the districts of the territory, and on the U.S. side as well,” Thomas said.

People can apply through the end of November at Mohawk Indian Housing Corp. on McGee Road or in the reception area of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Community Building on state Route 37.

People applying need to mention the number of family members living with them so the program can adjust the size of their food basket and include gifts for kids and seniors.

“We have families come in with eight or nine … as long as they identify the number of people living in the home, we make the basket,” Thomas said.

People and organizations that want to donate to the program can arrange to do so by calling Thomas at 315-705-8624 or Gloria Herne at 518-319-5820.

They will need volunteers to help at their fundraiser next month, as well as assembling baskets from Dec. 11 to 17 and delivering them.

“We’re always looking for volunteers for our Dec. 8 fundraiser,” Thomas said.

People interested in volunteering can call Carrie Jacobs at 518-358-4860.

This year, they are faced with some of their donors not being able to contribute and are asking for the public’s help.

“This year we have been made aware that some of usual donors will not be able to assist, so we have come up with new ways to fill the gap; however, putting on several fundraisers throughout the year so far have not been as fruitful as we would like. We are far from our goal of $60,000 to $69,000 this year,” according to a news release from Holiday Helpers. “We are asking for your assistance with meeting our goal... we are respectfully requesting a monetary donation from your organization. We would invite your organization to come help out the day of our last hurrah of the year, our annual Toy Drive and Fundraiser on December 8, 2017 where we would recognize your generous donation by doing a check presentation and announce your donation on the radio and in the newspaper.

“We also report all funds raise to the public through the local Indian Time Newspaper and on CKON FM Radio Station. Further we are a registered 501c3 Charitable Organization. All our funds are reviewed by a certified public accountant firm out of Malone, New York.”

Holiday Helpers grew significantly over two years. Thomas said in 2015, they prepared 1,055 baskets, which helped more than 2,337 individuals. In 2016, they prepared 1,330 baskets, which served 3,709.

“There’s a lot of people we try to help during the holidays,” Thomas said. “We try to support our community members as much as possible.”

She said 2016 was also a stride for the group behind the scenes, when they received 501c3 recognition as an official non-profit entity.

“We learned a lot from our experience from 2015,” Thomas said.