Recordpub.com - Residents in Portage step up to help needy Despite economy, donations come in

By Diane Smith

Record-Courier staff writer

With double-digit unemployment continuing to plague the region, thousands of cash-strapped parents are looking to local charities to help them make sure their child has a gift under the Christmas tree.

And, although donors may be facing hard times themselves, they have come out in full force this year to meet the growing need.

The Giving Tree in Mantua has closed out its gift drive, meeting its goal of providing gifts to about 175 children and teens. The donations of gifts and cash allowed the Mantua-Shalersville Chamber of Commerce to provide gifts for 102 children, plus $20 gift cards for 72 teenagers, said Chamber President Marie Stehli.

She said Joan Sweet, chamber treasurer and an employee of Middlefield Bank, reported that $700 in donations had been received by Kent, Aurora, Ravenna and Mantua. One donor sent a copy of a recent Record-Courier article with the donation.

“She said she burst into tears,” Stehli said.

The gifts were to be wrapped by youth from the Mantua Center Christian Church, which houses the Crestwood Coalition for Community Care, the local food pantry for the region. The Four C’s plans to give food baskets along with the toy donations.

Stehli said several organizations and individuals helped. One donor, who works in Solon but lives in Mantua, was prepared to donate to a charity near her work until she found out about the Giving Tree campaign.

Mary Ann Painley, vice president of Four C’s, said several churches came together to provide items for the Christmas baskets. The charity plans to distribute the food baskets and gifts on Thursday, in addition to its regular food distribution.

“People are coming in who cannot imagine paying for groceries,” she said. “Some people who expect overtime this time of year aren’t getting it. Some people are losing hours. Even five hours a week makes a big difference.”

In addition to gifts, the charity is giving out 185 Christmas baskets. As many as 400 people per month come to Four C’s for its regular food distribution.

Debby Missimi, director of food services for Portage County Family & Community Services, Inc. said she is still not sure how many people will be seeking help with food and gifts, since clients still are signing up at Kent Social Services and the Center of Hope in Ravenna. Right now, the number of gifts needed is approaching 2,000, which is “way above” last year.

“There are many new people we’ve never seen before,” she said.

On Saturday, the Portage County Sheriff’s Department held a “Cram the Cruiser” event, and some groups are planning to bring their donations today, when Missimi said volunteers will count the gifts, find out if there are enough for children in each age group, and go shopping for the rest.

“Probably what we need more than anything at this time are funds to replace what we spend on what we don’t have enough of,” she said. She said there appears to be a shortage on gifts for intermediate-aged children.

The charity plans to distribute all the gifts at the former Kent Hardware building on South Water Street in Kent. On Tuesday, clients from the Center of Hope will pick out toys and also will receive wrapping paper and bows. Mittens, hats and books also will be on hand. Each family also will receive a food basket, which includes a turkey or a gift certificate for one.

On Wednesday, clients from Kent Social Services will receive the same.

Any remaining donations may be brought directly to the Kent Hardware building on Monday or to the Center of Hope or Kent Social Services.

Sister Denise Stiles, manager of the Center of Hope, said many organizations and groups made donations, so many that she was keeping busy thanking them all.

“One fifth-grade class brought in gifts,” she said. “That’s nice, because they know what kids their age want.”

The Kent Area Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Kent organized a toy drive with boxes at 21 different locations. The Ravenna Area Chamber of Commerce also organized a “Fill Santa’s Sleigh” event, collecting toys in five locations, including the chamber office.

Jack Ferguson, director of the Ravenna chamber, said one donor came in on the last day of the drive and dropped off eight boxes of toys. Hard Parts, a newcomer to the gift drive, filled a dryer box with toys.

“I think we did very well with our toy drive,” he said. “There are just a lot of people out there that are having it rough.”

Debbie Morrow of Catholic Charities at 206 W. Main St. in Ravenna, said the agency is providing holiday help to upwards of 600 families. In addition to toys, the agency also provides gifts for parents and a limited number of non-perishable food items.

“We rely on the Catholic parishes in Portage County for our Christmas campaign, and they have come through for us,” she said.

In addition to its gift distribution, the agency is seeing many requests for help with utility shut-off notices. Many families are requesting help for their water bills right now, she said, and those requests are handled on a case by case basis.

“It’s open to any resident of Portage County,” she said. “You don’t have to be Catholic. Most aren’t, in fact.”