The Andover Fire Department and First Hope Bank are collecting nonperishable food items to support local food pantries. (Photo provided)
• Local First Hope Bank branches and the Andover Fire Department are collecting nonperishable food donations for the Sussex and Warren County food pantries through Monday, Dec. 16.
Donations may be dropped off at the Andover Township Fire Department, 625 Limecrest Road, or any First Hope Bank branch.
Items needed are cereal, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, meals in a can, soup, tuna, shelf-stable milk, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, canned fruit, canned vegetables, fruit juice, pasta, rice, pet food, laundry detergent, socks, toothpaste, body wash, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner.
Food donations will be used to stuff a firetruck from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14 at the bank’s Andover branch, 161 Newton Sparta Road. There will be photos with Santa, music and hot chocolate.
• Holiday Wish Trees at the Sparta Public Library, 22 Woodport Road; Dennis Library, 101 Main St., Newton; and Sussex County Community College are set up by the Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta.
Drop off gifts by Dec. 18 at the Sparta library and Sparta Books, 29 Center St.
At the library, each ornament on the tree is tagged with the age and gender of a child. Please return a new, unwrapped toy to the library tree with the tag on the toy. The ornament is yours to keep.
At Sparta Books, choose a favorite book and drop off a new copy at the tree in the store.
Online wish tree at amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/19Y6OUZO0RUSQ?ref_=wl_share
The club delivers the gifts to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, which distributes them to families based on need throughout the year.
• Project Self-Sufficiency is seeking monetary donations and gift cards to local stores to be distributed to senior citizens as part of the agency’s Earth Angels initiative.
In mid-December, students in the New Jersey Youth Corps high school diploma program will stuff festive bags with the cards and gifts. The items will be delivered by volunteers and Project Self-Sufficiency staff to homebound seniors during the week leading up to Christmas.
Along with monetary contributions, the agency is seeking donations of gift cards from local retailers, including Kohl’s, ShopRite, Stop & Shop, Walmart, Weis, and the hair salons at the Homestead and Liberty Towers senior residences.
Money may be donated online at projectselfsufficiency.org or by making out a check to Project Self-Sufficiency and indicating Earth Angels on the memo line. Donations of checks and gift cards may be dropped off at Project Self-Sufficiency, 127 Mill St., Newton. For information, call Alice Prendergast at 973-940-3500.
• Wantage United Methodist Church is seeking donations of winter apparel, including new or gently used winter coats in all sizes for men, women and children. Also needed are mittens, gloves, hats (must be new), thermal socks, scarves and thermal underwear.
All of the items will be distributed for free to those in need at the 14th annual Christmas Day dinner on Dec. 25 at the church, 199 Libertyville Road.
The church will be open from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Saturdays to accept donations. Donations also may be dropped off before or after church services Sundays.
If you need to have your donation picked up, contact Melissa to arrange a pickup. Call her at the church at 973-875-4488 or send a text to her cellphone at 973-997-1822.
• The Sussex County Recovery Community Center will have a Giving Back Tree through the end of 2024.
Drop off nonperishable food items at 65 Newton Sparta Road, Newton, for the Sussex County Division of Social Services Food Pantry to create weekend food bags for children in local schools.
On Friday, Jan. 10, gather at the RCC to share a meal and assemble the weekend bags. For information, call 973-940.2966.
Please send information about other ways to help those in need to editor.ann@strausnews.com