Holiday Coalition prepares for community's needs
By Angela Greiner Contributing Writer

Hudson - With Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks away, both consumers and stores are beginning to prepare for the shopping madness typically associated with the Christmas holiday season. The Hudson Holiday Coalition, which was founded 12 years ago, is a group of seven women dedicated to helping Hudson families in need over the holidays.

The coalition, established by Chamber of Commerce President Sarah Cressy, grew out of a desire to organize the services of churches and groups like the Boys & Girls Club over the holidays. Thinitial goal was to establish a central administration in order to better provide for those in need during the holidays. The chamber has continued to house the program over the past decade because they have the staff and the database to facilitate the program, Cressy said.

The chamber's purpose is to represent business and that the members did not want to be responsible for qualifying people for the holiday program, Cressy said. Instead, the chamber coordinates the sign-up and organizes local businesses, organizations and community members interested in giving. Essentially, she said, the coalition accepts referrals from organizations like the local food pantries and matches them with families and businesses in the community.

Elaine McKenet, a school nurse, was one of the early members of the Holiday Coalition. Cressy attributed some of the success of the program to McKenet for organizing the children in the Hudson school system who could use gifts over the holidays. McKenet sends out notices about the Holiday Coalition to all of the families of children in the schools who are on free or reduced lunches.

Karen Henderson, the office manager at the chamber, matches a sponsor with a wish list from a family.

"We keep it all anonymous," Henderson said. "I don't think people realize, unless you are doing it, just how many people have needs in the community."

Last year the Holiday Coalition sponsored 200 families and 300 children, supplying winter clothing, Christmas gifts and food baskets.

"There is so much pressure on families around the holidays and kids are not responsible for the situation they are in," Cressy said.

The coalition has a threeprong approach to addressing needs: first, they make sure that the children who need them are getting warm clothes, coats and mittens.

"We try to get what color preference the child might want," Cressy said.

Second, the coalition tries to provide the children with toys or activities like board games and puzzles or CDs for the older children.

The third focus is to provide families with a food basket, supplied by the Elks Club.

"This is a little beyond the traditional Toys for Tots program - we want to make sure that the kids have warm clothes and food," Cressy said.

Henderson said that the families, organizations and businesses in the community are always very generous.

"It is a good project for kids, especially, because some of the children in the community are very fortunate," Cressy said. "It is an opportunity for them to think about what the holidays are about. Life is sometimes a bit bigger than the new iPod."

If your family is in need of assistance this year, signups are Monday Nov. 5 and Wednesday Nov. 7 at the Boys & Girls Club or call Isabel Skog at 978-562- 3082. Proof of residency is required.

For more information or for organizations, businesses and families interested in donating gifts, call Karen Henderson at the Hudson Chamber of Commerce at 978-568-0360.