Spring may have just sprung, but Farmington’s community services department is already thinking about the 2019 holiday season.
The department is currently seeking the donation of new and unused gifts for the first year of its little shoppers program, an initiative that will allow Farmington children the chance to shop for their parents and loved ones this holiday season.
Amanda Moffo, a program assistant in the town’s community services department, said the new program was born as a way to extend the helping hand they give Farmington families during the holiday season.
“We currently have an extensive holiday program that is primarily beneficial to children,” Moffo said. “We have a big food component that helps families, but our gift component has always been kids 18 and under. We’ve gotten interest from our donors who ask me about the parents. They want to get something for the parents. But we didn’t have any program in place for the parents.”
Instead of having donors buy presents that the staff would then wrap and distribute to parents, Moffo said they’ve decided to let the children pick out which presents they think are best suited for their parents. That will happen at a holiday party the department will host for children for the first time this year.
Moffo said they serve around 200 children through the holiday gift program. They are looking to their donors and the public to assist through the donation of items. There’s no limit to the creativity of donated items, Moffo said, as each item should find a home. The only thing they won’t accept is clothing. Accessories like scarves, gloves, and other items are accepted though.
“We are collecting everything we can, especially since this is the first year, we want to make sure we have enough and that the kids have enough variety to choose from,” Moffo said.
Moffo said there certainly is great need in Farmington for a program like this to exist.
“We have families here who struggle to get the essentials, to buy groceries, to keep the electricity on, and to make their rent payments,” Moffo said. “When it comes to the holidays, they may not be below the poverty line, but they can’t afford to give their kids the Christmas they want to.”
Usually, she said, the cut off is at the parents.
“Even if the parents can get everything together to buy Christmas presents for their kids, the parents are the ones who are left out,” Moffo said. “That’s what this will help alleviate. It will also bring the community together.”
Moffo said they currently are looking for volunteers to help with the new holiday party. Anyone interested can contact the community services department by calling 860-675-2390. Moffo also said they are looking for more donations for dads, as they have a number of single fathers they assist.
Donations can be dropped off at the Staples House, at 2 Monteith Drive, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
