Please note: The process is much earlier this year AND we are converting to an e-sign up system! While you’ll need to return gifts to Community Engagement, as usual, you can now sign up to participate online!
Help sponsor a local child whose family cannot afford to buy presents for the holiday season through the Giving Trees program, in collaboration with the local organization H.O.P.E (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects). Each “tree” gives ideas of possible gifts to help you with the selection process. HOPE then invites participating parents to make selections among donated items in a “Holiday Shop” so that they may best match gifts with their own children’s interests.
Here’s how to participate:
• Sign up for an “e-tree” through the Community Engagement office by visiting go/givingtrees beginning Monday, October 27th, 2014. You can sign up any time between October 27th and November 10th.
• You can sponsor a “tree” by yourself, with a friend, as a department or in another type of group collaboration!
• We ask that you consider spending a minimum amount of $50 per “tree” – but please don’t let this discourage you from participating! We strongly encourage you to team up with friends and co-workers to maximize the fun and impact of each Giving Tree!
• Please do NOT wrap gifts (so parents can see what they are), but you are welcome to donate wrapping paper if you wish.
• Gifts must be brought to Community Engagement at 118 South Main Street by Wednesday or Thursday, November 12th or 13th between 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Please note a few key changes to this year’s Giving Tree program, in collaboration with HOPE, (Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects):
• HOPE is creating a “Holiday Store” that will enable parents to come in and make their own selections. To accommodate this approach, the “Giving Trees” will still work as they have, in that you’ll have a child (boy or girl with corresponding ages), etc., but we won’t be matching specific gifts with specific children.
• The store will open at HOPE for parents on Nov. 17th, so we need to collect the gifts before that time (see dates above)!
• Finally, remember that the Community Engagement office is now at 118 South Main St., on the corner of South Main St. and Storrs Ave., behind the Library!
If you have any questions, please e-mail qtennyson@middlebury.edu. As always, take care and thank you for your support and participation.
Quanteshia Tennyson ’14
AmeriCorps VISTA Member / Poverty Initiatives Coordinator
Community Engagement
118 South Main Street
Middlebury College Ɩ Middlebury, VT 05753
802.443.5113