The Newtown Fund is "a small organization with a large mission."

That's how Linda Bates described the nonprofit organization in a recent Newtown Bee letter to the editor. A participant with The Newtown Fund (TNF) for approximately for 30 years, the fund's current president said she volunteered to help with Depot Day - a massive Saturday morning and early afternoon event that delivers holiday gifts and nonperishables to families in need within town - after she heard about the fund's Holiday Basket Program more than three decades ago.

Ms Bates said it was her former business partner, Sandra Stockwell, who introduced her to the fund. For a number of years, said Ms Bates, the women worked together on the fund. Ms Bates stepped up to chair the Holiday Basket Program by 2001. She was vice president of The Newtown Fund, under then-president Doreen Kostecki, by 2007; and then became president in 2010.

Ms Bates is reaching out to the public with the hopes of finding some new members of the fund's board. She is also hoping to put a new Holiday Basket coordinator into place, sooner rather than later.

The fund has been in existence since 1959. Founded by Joseph Chase and the Reverend Paul Cullens, its objective continues to be to assist Newtown families in need, once all other avenues are exhausted.

The fund acts as "a safety net," according to its website, "by paying for food, fuel assistance, utility bills, rent and medical expenses."

"We are the emergency charity for the town of Newtown," Ms Bates told The Newtown Bee. "I like to call it 'The Original Newtown Fund' because so many other like-named organizations have sprung up because of the horrible tragedy a couple years ago.

"We are the charity of last resort," she added. "Once they've gone to the Salvation Army, and the fuel fund, or the state, and they can't get aid from anywhere else, they come to us."

The fund, she said July 18, is a one-time aid.

"We don't get involved in helping the same people over and over again," she said.

TNF works with Social Services, which vets people who may need help. Social Services will direct a person or family in need to TNF.

All monies raised by the fund are spent in Newtown, and there are no administrative costs, except for postage and paper for fundraising.

The fund provided seed money for the Town of Newtown to hire its first social worker. It helped establish Newtown Youth Services, The Family Life Center (which have since merged into Newtown Youth & Family Services), The Children's Adventure Center, Newtown Senior Center, and Nunnawauk Meadows. It also continues to support nonprofit organizations including Kevin's Community Center and Masonicare at Newtown.

While TNF operates and offers aid to residents year round, its most public event is Depot Day, a Saturday in December - generally two Saturdays before Christmas - when hundreds of gifts and nonperishables are collected and organized at a central location, and then disbursed to an average of 70 to 85 families annually. This year's has been scheduled for December 16.

"We take care of 200-plus people on Depot Day," said Ms Bates, who added that recipients are about 50 percent adults and 50 percent age 18 and under. "It's Christmas. It's the one time of year that you try to get people exactly what they want."

Social Services has families fill out an application, and then provides to TNF a list that identifies families only by a number, broken down by age and gender, and the anonymous family's holiday wish list.

While most people get excited to purchase toys for Depot Day, Ms Bates said it is important to remember the need is there for all generations.

"Many people don't think about the elderly, or the sick, or even teens," she said. "We have a lot of teens who need a Christmas just as much as small children do. With the elderly, it's invariably warm clothing that they ask for, because they can't afford to turn their heat up."

She admits the cost of some gifts can be prohibitive.

"Teens want video games, and many need computers," she said. "Big ticket items can be tough." Those participating are asked to give only what they can afford. "You don't have to fulfill every wish," she said.

Items must be new, however. The fund does not accept used items for the Holiday Basket Program.

The Newtown Fund also provides one week's worth of toiletries and nonperishable food to adopted families on Depot Day, which in recent years has taken place at Fraser Woods School.

Holiday Basket Coordinator

Layne Lescault is the current Holiday Basket coordinator. It is her responsibility to serve as a liaison between Social Services, The Newtown Fund, the four score families being adopted for the holiday season, and all of the families and groups adopting those families.

Ms Lescault feels it is time for someone new to take over. She and everyone on The Newtown Fund board are hoping to find a new coordinator within the next few months to take on the challenge.

According to Ms Bates, Ms Lescault was clear when she took on that role from former coordinator Rick Mazzariello that she would give the fund five years.

"Layne is fabulous, she's a real giver," said Ms Bates. "When she gets involved, she really gets involved.

"Layne really needs someone to shadow her," Ms Bates added. "We are ready to go for Depot Day this year, but it is imperative that someone is in place for next year. If we don't have a Layne replacement, we cannot continue."

The position is a one-person gig.

"Sandi and I used to do this, but we worked in neighboring offices," Ms Bates said. "She'd get a call, hang up, and then tell me immediately what she had said and done. We had a spreadsheet, and we'd be updating it all the time. You can't split that job up into pieces, though. It just doesn't work.

"You can't have one person taking the calls Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and then another person taking them Thursday, Friday, Saturday," she added. "It doesn't work because someone will call up with a question, and if another person doesn't know what you've already told this person, or what's going on, you just can't coordinate it. You have to have one person doing all of that."

The Holiday Basket coordinator's busy season is about two months long, Ms Lescault said this week. Social Services tries to provide the list by October of the families that need to be adopted, which puts the Holiday Basket coordinator to work. The crunch ends once Depot Day has been successfully executed.

Ms Lescault puts the information received from Social Services into an Excel spreadsheet - "Even I don't know the names of those being adopted," she pointed out July 26 - and then begins reaching out to those who have already contacted her about adopting a family.

"We have a core bunch of people who, year after year, reach out to adopt," Ms Lescault said. "We really have a good crew of adopters."

A few days before Depot Day Ms Lescault provides a copy to The Newtown Fund board of her list of the individuals and groups adopting families. Board members then take time to make reminder calls to the contacts on that list, touching base to make sure things are on schedule for Depot Day.

In past years Ms Lescault has taken care of writing letters that are sent to those who have adopted in the past, to see if they are interested in adopting again. She also crafts Thank You letters to go out to everyone following Depot Day. She is unsure if that task will remain with the coordinator, or will go to someone else.

"The job isn't hard, but you have to be meticulous with information. It's a job for someone who is detail oriented," said Ms Lescault. She and her husband plan to continue participating in Depot Day, she said.

"We initially donated and adopted a family," she said. "That's how we got started, and we still adopt a family. I'm going to stay on the board and do things, and will still adopt.

"But everybody knows when it's time to change a little bit," she added. "This is my time. We hope to find a replacement so that I can work with them this year."

A Group Effort

The calls from those seeking to adopt a family for Depot Day often begin in October, said Linda Bates. Around that time Ms Bates also puts a letter into The Newtown Bee, reminding residents of the upcoming annual event.

Many groups opt to adopt a family, and then spread out the responsibility of purchasing items among group members.

"We know that we'll hear from Newtown Congregational Church, and St Rose Church, and even a number of individuals, who will adopt a family," Ms Bates said.

Layne Lescault said St Rose School adopts ten families every year.

"I don't know how they do it, but they've been a wonder," she said.

Sheila Cole has been organizing Newtown Congregational Church's Depot Day efforts for a number of years. Her church, she believes, has been involved with the effort for at least 15 years.

"In addition to the congregation as a whole, there is also a women's circle that does it, too," she said of the annual adoption of a family for Christmas.

"It's all very confidential," Ms Cole said, reaffirming what Newtown Fund volunteers have said. "They give us just a number that corresponds to the family, the ages and sex of each person in the family, and a list of what everyone wants."

Ms Cole creates gift tags, which are then hung on an artificial tree at the West Street church. She tries to have the tags out for the Sunday before Advent.

"It's a very similar timeline that we all work with," she said this week. "It doesn't vary, and with people looking for the tags, they get picked up pretty quickly once I announce that they're there."

Many NCC members look forward to the annual outreach, according to her husband Jerry.

"The tags usually disappear within two weeks, if not sooner," he said.

"You really depend on everybody following through on their commitment," Ms Cole said. "But it pretty much runs itself."

The longtime NCC member admitted it can be a little disconcerting when gifts are not returned by a deadline.

"It can be a challenge, because we don't keep track of who takes the tags," she said. "I think that's probably the biggest challenge. I also worry every year that not all of the tags will be taken, then they always seem to go."

On a very positive note, the Coles said, supporting Depot Day really brings out the spirit of the season.

People love "knowing that you're helping make Christmas nice for somebody," said Ms Cole. In addition to the requested gifts, NCC also provides a number of gift cards for their adopted family each year.

The full collection of gifts and gift cards is then taken to Fraser Woods on Depot Day. The Newtown Fund likes to have all incoming items on site by 9:30 that morning.

Mrs Cole said the fund offers a great support system for everyone trying to help.

Volunteers are also sought annually to help on Depot Day. Help is usually needed at the wrapping table, in the parking lot loading cars, in the gym organizing the baskets, in the kitchen (breakfast and lunch are provided to volunteers), and delivering the baskets to the families.

Help is even needed taping together boxes that are used to organize each recipient family's collection.

"We only have two or three guys right now for that job, and could really use a few more because once those boxes are taped and filled, they need to be moved around. They get heavy," Ms Bates said.

Depot Day drivers are given only a residential address and a contact phone number before being sent out with their delivery.

"Again, we try to keep it as anonymous as possible," Ms Bates said.

The Coles have also been Depot Day drivers.

"A few times, they've been short on drivers, and we had the opportunity to drive," Ms Cole said this week. "There was one year when the weather was really bad, and they needed people with vehicles that would get through the snow.

"It was nice to be on that end, too," she said, "to actually go out and deliver the presents."

Additional Help Needed

In addition to needing its next Holiday Basket coordinator, The Newtown Fund will again need volunteers to adopt families within the next few months.

"We had more than 40 people who did not participate in the program last year," Ms Bates said. "Most of those people have moved out of town."

Through donations, the fund has "good seed money" to get started this year, she said. Its board of directors is hoping, however, that 2017 will not be a repeat of last year, when there was difficulty getting people to adopt families for the Holiday Basket Program.

"We know it's very difficult to get all the shopping done for an adopted family, especially at that time of the year when you have so much to do for your own family," Ms Bates said. "But we really need to know that people who say they will adopt a family will remember to take care of their family."

Financial donations are the second biggest need for The Newtown Fund, said its president. Because the fund offers payments for things like heating fuel assistance or medical emergencies, donations are accepted year-round.

"We accept donations at any time of the year," Ms Bates reiterated. The fund is a 501(c)(3) organization, so all donations are tax deductible.

On the Monday prior to Depot Day, the board learns how much money is available to purchase gift cards to be disbursed on Depot Day. In past years, the fund has purchased gift cards in small denominations from Stop & Stop and Exxon, among others. Ms Bates said both of those companies have been "very helpful" when working with TNF.

The fund's board is also looking to expand.

"We currently have a full complement of seven people," said Ms Bates. In addition to Ms Bates and Ms Lescault, the board also currently includes Bob Berthier, Don Brooks, Sharon Maynard, Anne Ragusa, and Phyllis Zimmer.

"We'd like to have a few more people on the board. Just two or three more would help spread the work around better," said Ms Bates. Two meetings are held each year, Ms Bates pointed out.

To learn more about The Newtown Fund or if you are considering any of the volunteer opportunities, TNF President Linda Bates can be reached at 203-442-4045 or lbatescpa@aol.com. Additional information about The Newtown Fund Inc is also available at thenewtownfund.org. Outgoing Holiday Basket Coordinator Layne Lescault also welcomes calls, from those interested in her position. She can be reached at 203-270-6481.