Potsdam Holiday Fund

The Potsdam Holiday Fund, Inc. provides new toys, clothing, boots and food to families and senior citizens in need in the Potsdam area. The Potsdam Holiday Fund, Inc. is a 501 ( c ) 3 organization; thus contributions to the fund are tax deductible as allowed by the IRS. Who Benefits: Last year we served over 300 needy families with more than 600 children as well as 100 senior citizens in the Potsdam area. Communities We Serve: Generally we serve families in these communities: Potsdam, Madrid, Hopkinton, Nicholville, Brasher Falls, Chase Mills, Fort Jackson, West Stockholm and Winthrop. How We "Find" These Needy Families: We advertise in the local media and on the campuses that applications for assistance are available. (College students with children are eligible to apply.) Families are required to fill out an application for the program to show that they are in need, in order to avoid abuse of the program. We use the income guidelines established by the Potsdam Neighborhood Center. How We Get Funding: Nearly all of our money is raised through a direct-mail solicitation mailed to Potsdam residents in October. We are also the primary beneficiary of the Hobble Gobble Prediction Run-Walk, coordinated by Derry Loucks and held in November each year. In 2014, the Potsdam Holiday Fund raised a total of about $53,000. Also, local businesses such as the Potsadm IGA sell "Holiday Happiness" tags for $1 that are personalized by the donor and displayed at the store. Our cost to raise a dollar is about five cents. How We Spend It: Usually we spend about $15,000 on food basket items that we purchase. Also in their food basket is a voucher (gift certificate) to be used to buy food at a local grocery store, the amount depending on the size of the family ($35-$45). Senior citizens also receive food/fruit baskets. The Potsdam Rotary Club coordinates the food basket program. We give out vouchers for a local department store. In 2014, the vouchers were redeemable at Walmart in Potsdam. Parents can spend up to $50 per child on warm winter clothing. We sometimes buy new toys and other gifts as needed. NOTE: The Holiday Fund is run entirely by Volunteers! The only "Administrative Cost" we have is the cost of our mailings.