Western New York has always been known for its generosity. Whether it’s at a benefit for a sick neighbor, a fund drive to assist the family burned out of their home, tossing some spare change into an iron kettle or buying a candy bar from a 12-year-old raising money to send his pee-wee hockey team to a distant tournament, residents here are willing to give. It’s what gives Buffalo — and its suburbs — the slogan “City of Good Neighbors.”
Yet, there’s still more that can be done not only during this season of “good will toward men,” but throughout the year.
We tend to escalate our giving during the holiday season, from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. It’s during these last few weeks of the year that we often read and hear about charitable contributions. A review of the Tonawanda News gives one perspective of what’s been accomplished:
• On page 3A of today’s paper readers learned that City of Tonawanda firefighters assisted the Salvation Army with filling a staggering 384 grocery bags for needy families.
• The annual “Rockin’ with Santa” event at the Eldridge Club helped provide toys for 130 children this year — double last year’s benefactors.
• Children attending the town’s elementary schools benefited from the Toys for the Town drive, coordinated by the Department of Youth, Parks and Recreation.
• North Tonawanda’s 26th annual Coats for Kids event, with the assistance of city police officers and others, raised money to provide coats, hats and gloves to roughly 300 youths from 140 families.
Yet, as mentioned, there’s always a need to help during this season of giving and the rest of the year. Whether it’s people in poverty, struggling senior citizens, the unemployed worker still reeling from the recession, the sick who can’t afford health insurance or who have seen their workman’s compensation run out; they all have families to feed and clothe. Their needs won’t go away when we hang up a new calendar.
Mike Billoni of the Food Pantry of Western New York told the News in November that regional need is up approximately 11 percent over last year. The local Salvation Army placed it at 20 percent.
With Christmas just three days away, charitable groups are still seeking toys, food and other basic supplies and necessities.
Tomorrow is the last day in 2009 to make a donation to — or request food from — the North Tonawanda Inter-Church Food Pantry, located at 100 Ridge Road. It’s shutting down for the holidays Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. and won’t reopen until Jan. 4.
It doesn’t have to be much. A few canned goods to your local food pantry, a few dollars to your favorite charity. Contact a church to learn where there’s need.
What makes this region unrivaled in its charity is not important. We can solidify our status by digging a little deeper to help our neighbors.
