Category Archives: south shore

Bid on your favorite Christmas tree today through Dec. 5

donations, homeless, south shore, South Shore massachusetts

Annual auction supporting Friends of the Homeless is NOW! 

The Festival of Trees has gone virtual this year, so it’s easier than ever to place and track your bids! Just go to their auction site to view the trees and other gifts and place your bid.

Each year the Hingham Women’s Club hosts this cheer-filled event to raise mission critical funds for the Friends of the Homeless of the South Shore and the Hingham Women’s Club Scholarship fund.

You’re invited to browse through more than 30 beautifully decorated trees, buy a gift for yourself or a loved one, and support our efforts in the community you call home.

Thank you in advance for your support!!

And have a wonderful holiday!

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus AND a Christmas Giving Program this year!

children, donations, emergency shelter, homeless, south shore, South Shore massachusetts, Uncategorized, volunteers

We’ll be collecting gift bundles starting Dec. 3

More than 120 years ago, a touching and now famous editorial appeared in The New York Sun assuring young Virginia that there truly was a Santa Claus.

We are delighted today to announce an equally important message to all of our friends and neighbors on the South Shore: There IS a Christmas Giving Program this year!

With the help of generous donors and volunteers like you, we can again bring the joy of Christmas to hundreds of children and their families in shelters or temporary housing on the South Shore.

New location and new rules keep everyone safe

The Friends of the Homeless Christmas Giving Shoppe will be open from Dec. 3 to Dec. 23, 2020, from Noon to 6 pm, Mon.- Sat. Once again, our tireless volunteers will be at the Shoppe on those days to receive and send out hundreds of bundles of gifts purchased and wrapped by generous donors.

At the same time, to keep everyone safe in a COVID-19 world, we’ll be making big changes to our Christmas Giving program. For example:

  • We have a new mobile phone number for all calls and texts to the Shoppe: 781-901-2256. If you prefer to send us an email, our new address is fhsschristmasshoppe@gmail.com
  • We are moving the Shoppe location to the House of Prayer Lutheran Church at 916 Main Street (Rte. 228) in Hingham, Mass. (Our sincere thanks to Pastor Susan Henry for hosting us this year!)
  • The Shoppe’s official hours will be limited to Noon to 6 daily, to accommodate reduced staffing.
  • We’ll be observing strict protocols that limit the number of visitors to the Shoppe at one time and require the use of masks, gloves, and proper social distancing.
  • We are scheduling specific times for all who come to the Shoppe to volunteer, donate, or pick up gift bundles.

For those who have already signed up to help, including families, friends, neighborhoods, churches, businesses, schools, or community groups, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your willingness to share in the Giving Program again this year.

If you’d still like to donate or volunteer

Please call or text our dedicated cell phone number, 781-901-2256, for  more information. If you prefer to send a note, our new email address is fhsschristmasshoppe@gmail.com

We’re grateful to have the help of so many generous donors and volunteers again this year as we work together to bring the joy of the holiday season to families on the South Shore. We know it will brighten your holidays — and theirs!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Dorothy Newell and the Christmas Shoppe Team

 

Calling all Shaw’s Stamp Collectors! The deadline is Dec. 13th.

donations, fundraising, homeless, shelter, south shore

Based on the success of their stamp collection campaign last fall, Judith Patt and the members of the Promise Church in Weymouth are at it again this year. They are collecting and redeeming extra stamps from the annual Shaw’s Supermarket stamp promotion.

But the deadline is fast approaching, so there’s no time to waste! Continue reading Calling all Shaw’s Stamp Collectors! The deadline is Dec. 13th. →

Promise Church shows how small donations bring big benefits for families leaving shelters

donations, fundraising, homeless, shelter, south shore, Uncategorized

See how small donations bring big benefits

A photo from Promise Church offers proof that even small donations bring big benefits. The church collected Shaw’s stamps shoppers didn’t need and turned them into bakeware for shelter families moving into new homes. Continue reading Promise Church shows how small donations bring big benefits for families leaving shelters →

Former Homeless Shelter Guest Reinforces Importance of Our Work

emergency shelter, homeless, Homelessness, outreach, Relationship, shelter, south shore, South Shore massachusetts

A wonderful story about a former homeless shelter guest  — with a powerful message — from Executive Director Herb Newell …

There are times when all of us who work in family sheltering have felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of the need. We see the seeming intransigence of current problems, and know all too well the mentally tough work. At those times it’s important to remember that we have been – and continue to be – a significant part of the response to homeless shelter guests needing help and guidance.

I was reminded of the enormous impact our work can have during a recent visit to our Furniture Bank. Continue reading Former Homeless Shelter Guest Reinforces Importance of Our Work →

Baby Bundles: Deliver Supplies, Smiles for New Moms in Shelters

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Baby bundles deliver so much joy! Bringing home a new baby is one of life’s most exciting events. But what if your “home” is in a shelter or motel?

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Thanks to the efforts of dozens of Baby Bundles’ donors and volunteers, the day a Mom and her newborn return to transitional housing may be a little brighter.

A big bin filled to the brim for Moms in small spaces

Newborn Baby Bundles gives new moms in transitional housing just about all of the things
they need for the first few weeks. Each Baby Bundle bin holds:

  • baby, Newborn diapers (up to 3 months)
  • Wipes and baby toiletries
  • Blankets, towels and washcloths
  • Sleep Sack
  • New baby onesies, outfits
  • Bibs, socks, hand mitts
  • Toy, book and pacifiers
  • Comfort shawl and toiletries for Mom

“We pack all of this into a single, large plastic bin, so each Mom also has a handy storage place when her living space is small,” says program director Susan Donnelly.

Diaper Drives and Baby Showers make Baby Bundles a success

Donnelly is one of the many energetic volunteers from St. Albert’s Parish in Weymouth. She works on Baby Bundles’ donations, collection, and communications. Volunteers make visits to other local churches, schools, and community organizations. They encourage these organizations to sponsor “baby showers” and diaper drives where items for newborns can be donated.

 

Who Has Participated in Baby Bundles So Far?

Groups who have sponsored these events have included: Church Hill United Methodist, Norwell; St. Albert the Great, St. Francis Xavier, Pilgrim and Old South Union churches in Weymouth; Resurrection Parish, Hingham; and the Colonial Village Knitting Club in Weymouth. And moreso, they have been very generous with donations.

“Their generosity has allowed us to deliver bundles to 16 families so far [as of this post], and we have another scheduled for mid-January,” says Betsy Clifford, pastoral associate at St. Albert – St. Francis Collaborative Parishes. Clifford, who has delivered several of the Baby Bundles herself, has seen the joy and hope the bundles give to new and expectant parents. “They are absolutely delighted to know someone cares,” she says.

To learn more about contributing to or volunteering for Baby Bundles, contact Susan Donnelly or email us and  someone will get your the information.