As the holiday season winds down, local organizations are still looking for assistance from the community.

By Ronni Newton

There are many organizations in the West Hartford area that are still counting on the generosity of the public in order to ensure that people are warm and fed, and children in need receive gifts this holiday season.

The Bridge Family Center Wish List

The Bridge Family Center is still in need of items for its shelters. Any assistance that can be provided will be appreciated, and the organization asks that all donations be dropped off by Dec. 19.

The following items are on the wish list:

• Gift cards from Marshalls, WalMart, Kohls, BJs, Best Buy, Babies R Us, Bobs, Target, Old Navy, TJ Maxx, Eblens, Macys, Westfarms Mall, Buckland Hills Mall, Michaels, Jerry’s Artarama, Bow-Tie Cinema, Rave Cinema, CVS, Walgreens, Barnes and Noble, restaurants (Chilis, Ruby Tuesdays, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, A.C.Petersons ), super markets, Visa and American Express gift cards.
• New basketballs, tennis racquets, badminton racquets and birdies, soccer balls, and bikes and helmets.
• Nintendo Wii, games, and accessories; Xbox 360 gaming console; karaoke machine.
• New board games, Legos, books birth to teens, doll house furniture, Play Doh, arts and crafts supplies (yarn, glitter, paints, canvases, etc.), DVDs (G, PG, and PG13), journals, 2015 planners.
• New winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves, children’s boots, socks, PJs, wallets, umbrellas.
• New household items: fire extinguishers, alarm clocks, kitchen ware, lamps, vacuums, carpet steam cleaner, steam mop, lamps, twin sheets and comforters, towels, bath rugs.
• Hams, turkeys, baked goods, Christmas candy.
• BIG WISH:  8-passenger vehicle

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES – Adults to bake/prepare meals for youth shelter residents; play guitar/sing at holiday parties; volunteers with prior experience with young people to chat, play games, and share activities; volunteers with special skills, such as knitting, yoga, etc., to teach to young children after school or residents in our shelters.

The Bridge Family Center is located at 1022 Farmington Ave., West Hartford, CT  06107-2105; 860-521-8035; [email protected]; www.bridgefamilycenter.org

Ten Thousand Villages Get  & Give Holiday Event

Another way to support The Bridge Family Center is through the “Get & Give Holiday Event” that will take place on Thursday, Dec. 18 from 4 – 8 p.m. At Ten Thousand Villages in West Hartford Center. Ten Thousand Villages will donate 15 percent of all sales during that time to support the Bridge’s programs for children and families in West Hartford and throughout the region. Ten Thousand Villages sells fair trade handmade gifts, jewelry, artwork, home decor, and more from artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Stuff a Cruiser at Corbins Corner on Dec. 17

The West Hartford and Farmington Police will hold a “Stuff a Cruiser” event on Wednesday, Dec. 17, from 9 a.m. through 1 p.m., at the Toys R Us at 1471 New Britain Ave., West Hartford. Unwrapped toys will be collected, and will be donated to social services organizations in both towns.

We Are the Children Toy Drive at Toy Chest Dec. 18

Local radio station 965 TIC will broadcast live from the Toy Chest in West Hartford on Thursday, Dec. 18, from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., and will be collecting for the station’s annual We Are the Children Christmas Party. On air personalities Gary Craig, Damon Scott, and Gina J will be on hand to collect new, unwrapped toys as part of the toy drive. AMR ambulance staff will also participate, and ambulances will be stuffed with toys.

Coats for Winter Drive, now until Dec. 20

Becker’s Jewelers and French Cleaners are collecting gently-used coats for the “Coats for Winter” drive. so someone less fortunate can be warm this holiday season. Coats can be dropped off through Dec. 20, at Becker’s Jewelers, 65 LaSalle Rd. or French Cleaners, 935 Farmington Ave. For more information, call 1-888-BECKERS.

Jewish Family Services Kosher Food Pantry

Donations are needed for the JFS Anja Rosenberg Kosher Food Pantry. A holiday display and shopping cart for donations is locatd at Whole Foods Bishops Corner through Dec. 31. Much needed items include: kosher tuna, crackers, rice, pasta, sauce, cereal, and peanut butter. For more information, call 860-236-1927 or visit www.jfshartford.org for more information.

Christmas Day Mitzvah Program at Hebrew Health Care, Dec. 25

Give the gift of your time by participating in the Hebrew Health Care 2014 Christmas Day Mitzvah Program. Individuals in the community are asked to volunteer at HHC so staff members that celebrate Christmas can take time to be with their families during the holiday.

According to the Town of West Hartford, volunteers can fill in on a number of tasks including: serving sandwiches in the Main Street Café; selling candy and sundries in the gift shop; delivering breakfast and lunch trays; clerical tasks, such as answering phones on the nursing units, helping out at bingo or other recreational activities; transporting wheelchair-bound patients; delivering laundry; helping in the kitchen, and more.

The Christmas Day Mitzvah Program begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m., and volunteers can participate during any timeframe. For more information or to register, contact Ruthan Wein at (860) 523-3818 or [email protected].

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