Neighbors Foundation helps the less fortunate on Grand Island

Grand Island Dispatch, December 8, 2006

Students from the Grand Island Dance Center have gotten into the holiday spirit by helping out in the community: The center is currently hosting a food drive, with proceeds to go to the Neighbor’s Foundation. Above, students are shown with many of the food items collected thus far. In the front row are Jordan Davis, Danyelle Redmond, Emily Wynne and Zoe Reda. Behind them are Hillary Figler, Alyssa Bailey and Elaina Bolles. Dance Center owner Rachel Novelli reports food donations can be dropped off in the workout room at the MOG, 1801 Grand Island Blvd., until Saturday, Dec. 16.

During the holiday season, the Neighbors Foundation of Grand Island makes a special effort to help less fortunate families of Grand Island with large baskets of food and gifts for any children involved. This tradition has been carried on for 30 years, as the Foundation fulfills its mission of helping those in temporary need on Grand Island.

“In 2006, just as we thought economic conditions were improving, strikes and further plant closings have increased the call for our help,” said Foundation President Henry Kammerer.

“Although we cannot support anyone continuously, we stand ready and able to help with the emergency or temporary need that some of our neighbors have, especially at what is supposed to be a happy time of year.”

The Foundation invites Island residents to “Share Your Happiness” by mailing a tax deductible donation to the Neighbors Foundation, P.O. Box 155, Grand Island NY 14072. With an all-volunteer organization, the Foundation can assure Island residents that a maximum amount of their donation goes to help those in emergency need on Grand Island. The names of donors will be displayed in the holiday editions of the Grand Island PennySaver and Island Dispatch. Donors who wish to remain anonymous may request that.

Anyone wishing to donate new, unused toys or similar gifts, and new, unused outerwear for youth to teens may bring them to the Town Recreation Department office at the Nike Base, Whitehaven Road, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., before Thursday, Dec. 14.

A special project by local Boy Scouts has placed a “Christmas Wish List” for the Foundation gift boxes, on message boards in Island stores. “This list highlights things like Nerf Balls, lip balm, hairbrushes; items we don’t think about as gifts, but especially appreciated by our teen or pre-teen recipients,” Kammerer said.

For more information on these donations, call Linda Tufillaro, Town Recreation Department supervisor, at 773-9680; or call Kammerer at 773-1245.

Many Island organizations join this effort. The Grand Island schools will have a canned food drive during December, and sorting of that food will be done by the High School DECA Club. Other groups and businesses are also donating food, and the Knights of Columbus are again donating the use of their hall for sorting and distribution of the large quantity of food donated to this project. In past years. More than 55 families have been helped.

Christmas Wish List for the Grand Island Neighbors Foundation

• School supplies: Notebooks, pads, pens, pencils, etc.
• Young girls’ jewelry
• Socks and sweatshirts
• Personal care items such as: Lip balm, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, hairbrushes and combs.
• Stuffed animals
• Action/sports figures
• Dolls
• Building blocks, Legos
• Trucks, cars and model cars
• Tea sets
• Nerf balls, sports balls
• Board games, such as Yahtzee, chess, checkers, Candy Land,
  Monopoly, etc.
• Books
• Children’s card games, playing cards
• Puzzles
• Coloring books, crayons, paint sets
• Craft kits, bead-making sets, sand art, etc.
• Baby items: Bibs, sleepers, blankets, rattles, teething rings, bottles, diapers
• Cotton sweat pants, youth

Or share your happiness by making a tax-deductible donation to the foundation and mail it to:

Neighbors Foundation Inc.
PO Box 155
Grand Island, NY 14072

For more information on toy donation, call Linda Tufillaro, town Recreation Department, at 773-9680. For further information, call Neighbors Foundation President Hank Kammerer at 773-1245.