"Giving Day" in N.H.: How to lend a hand

By Beverley Wang, Associated Press Writer | November 22, 2006

Probably no other holiday comes close to Thanksgiving's trifecta of indulgence -- a day of food, family and football -- and it's often followed by a day of extreme bargain hunting as the holiday shopping season kicks off.

Some states are trying to add another tradition to the holiday: charitable giving.

For the fourth consecutive year, New Hampshire is proclaiming the Friday after Thanksgiving "Giving Day" to encourage people to contribute to the public good. In New England, Vermont, Massachusetts and Rhode Island also have proclaimed Friday a Giving Day.

"Thanksgiving is a day where we come together as a family and we view all the blessings that we receive," said Martin Cohn, a spokesman for The Catalogue for Philanthropy, a group dedicated to increasing charitable giving nationwide. "This is an opportunity to come together as a family to review all the blessings we receive and also to help others."

Charities across New Hampshire are scrambling for help this time of year. Here are some of their suggestions for lending a hand.

ADD IT TO YOUR SHOPPING LIST:

Shopaholics don't have to give up their "Black Friday" to give to charity.

"Buy one extra gift and we could see to it that it's put into the hands of someone who may not otherwise have a gift," says Marilyn Morrison, pastor of the Salvation Army in Berlin. "Angel Trees" displayed in local businesses provide lists of children in need of gifts.

The same goes for groceries -- Morrison says her group already is stocking up for Christmas dinners and needs about 100 more turkeys. Food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters across the state need similar help.

Through December, Hannaford and Shaw's supermarkets will be selling holiday food packages stocked with staple items that can be donated to the New Hampshire Food Bank. Stop and Shop stores will allow customers to donate $10 rewards vouchers to the food bank, and kick in a matching donation.

DO WHAT INTERESTS YOU:

"I often suggest that people start with what they care about," says Deborah Schacter, a senior program officer with the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. The web site http://www.guidestar.org sorts nonprofit groups by name and location, provides tips on giving wisely and searches to verify the legitimacy of charitable groups.

Schacter advises families to lay out their priorities for charitable giving. Gather up donation solicitations that arrive in the mail and have a conversation -- "Here are the folks asking us for support. How much can we afford and which of these rise to the top for us?"

Morrison says she's looking for adult volunteers to work with Salvation Army children's groups, as well as volunteers to ring bells for donation kettles. Donations can also be made online at http://www.onlineredkettle.org.

LOOK LOCALLY:

The New Hampshire Food Bank, which distributes food to 350 groups across the state, lists local food pantries and soup kitchens on its Web site, http://www.nhfoodbank.org -- and all are in need, says food bank executive director Melanie Gosselin.

Since the Berlin pulp mill closed in May, the United Way of Northern New Hampshire has seen a significant drop in donations, says executive director Rolanda Duchesne. That's because the largest local employer also was a major source of donations from payroll deductions.

Trying to make up the difference has "been very challenging," she says.

United Way groups, located via http://www.unitedway.org, also give names of local charities needing help.

Kelly Murphy, executive director of the Sullivan County United Way, notes that demand is up at the Claremont soup kitchen and food pantry, as well as the local women's shelter.

She suggests contacting groups directly and asking what they need before embarking on a shopping expedition.

"These agencies are going to know exactly what it is that they need," she said.