Published December 12, 2019
By MAUREEN DOHERTY

NORTH READING — We’re speechless. It’s only the second week of the 2019 Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund (NHNF) Christmas drive and already donations this past week totaled $11,730. Combined with the $1,400 donated the previous week, we have surpassed the $13,000 mark.

The fund received a huge boost in its second week with an extremely generous $10,000 donation from Morton & Company, Inc. of Wilmington. This company has supported the NHNF for many years with the single largest donation the fund receives.

We still have three weeks remaining in our 30th annual drive and we would love to surpass last year’s total of just over $36,000 to mark this milestone. Donations of any denomination are welcome. It all adds up.

Since 1990, the Transcript’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund has been the single largest source of income for Christian Community Service (CCS) which has enabled these volunteers to provide crucial services and financial relief to our North Reading neighbors in need.

“Christian Community Service (CCS) has been an entity since 1972 and the Food Pantry, opened in 1996, has become its main focus of operation. CCS and the Food Pantry are one corporate entity, and incoming funds—including the generous donations through NHNF—are deposited into a single bank account. This year’s NHNF effort will follow the same plan,” noted CCS Chairperson Ellen Wiklanski.

“It should be noted that the annual NHNF donation has always been the biggest chunk of money we receive. Once monies appear in the CCS bank account, the CCS board can designate it as it wishes, either as emergency financial assistance to families in town or to purchase groceries for the pantry. The staff is all volunteers, and the only costs that are not directly related to assistance or  food for the clients are a post office box, a phone line, and insurance for the truck,” Wiklanski added.

Although affiliated with the town’s churches, CCS is non-denominational and provides assistance to clients without regard to their religious affiliation, if any.

Do something nice, twice

The Horseshoe Grille, 226 Main St., continues to offer patrons a chance to give back to the Transcript’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund by “doing something nice, twice.”

For every $100 spent on gift cards to the restaurant the Horseshoe offers a $20 voucher back to the purchaser. Simply let the clerk know that you’d prefer to apply the $20 face value of the Horseshoe Grille voucher to be donated to the Transcript’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund. Pat and Kathi Lee will also match your donation this Christmas season. At the end of the holiday season the Lees will write a check to CCS representing the funds donated by their patrons and matched through this incentive, which will be acknowledged by the newspaper.

How to donate

Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. CCS automatically provides receipts to those who donate $250 or more. Tax receipts for donations of any amount will be provided by CCS upon request by the donor.

The Transcript will acknowledge all donations in the newspaper each week. If you wish to remain anonymous, or dedicate your donation to a loved one, please include a note.

Please make checks payable to “Christian Community Service” or “CCS,” not to the newspaper.Checks may be mailed to the Transcript at P.O. Box 7, North Reading, MA 01864.

Those who wish to drop off their donations in person may do so at the North Reading branch of the Reading Cooperative Bank, 170 Park St. (next to Ryer’s Store). Please specify to the bank teller your intention to donate to the Transcript’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund to ensure it is recorded on the tally sheet the bank will forward to us for acknowledgement in the newspaper.

Together, we can make the 30th annual Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund drive the most successful it has ever been!

Transcript 2019 NHNF donor list, week 2:

• Morton & Company, Inc., Wilmington — $10,000

• Leah McCann and the Salon 77 Team— $600

• In loving memory of Gene Barrasso— $300

• In memory of Mazie and Helen— $150

• In loving memory of Barbara and Paul Titus— $100

• Lisa and Karl Touet— $100

• In memory of Richard B. Lynds— $100

• In memory of “Chippo!” Merry Christmas from Eric and Ariel— $100

• In memory of Holly Wade— $100

• In loving memory of Paul Horan— $100

• In memory of Papa Charlie and Nana Helen— $50

• In memory of our neighbor, Angela Marshall-Wantman— $20

• $10 (cash) in memory of Gigi Benjamin— $10

Week 2 subtotal: $11,730

Previously acknowledged: $1,400

New total: $13,130