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Even before Halloween passed last Friday, the local charity Human Resources of the Hamptons started gearing up for the holiday season.
Last week, Human Resources volunteers gathered at the former Sacred Hearts Catholic school in Southampton Village to assemble 350 gift baskets that will be distributed to local needy families along with a turkey, fixings for a holiday dinner and new toys, books and clothes for children.
Volunteers have been wrapping gifts for the holiday season since January, said Nannette Meyers, Human Resources’s board president. But this year, the need is greater than it’s ever been, according to Mary Ann Tupper, the organization’s executive director.
“This year, with the downturn in the economy, what we’re seeing are more and more people coming in and asking for assistance, and our donations dwindling,” Ms. Tupper said.
Human Resources is not suffering any real financial difficulty yet, but it has lost its fresh fruit and fresh meat programs and home heating assistance, Ms. Tupper said.
“By and large, the people in the Southampton community are still bringing food to the churches, and I am anticipating that they are going to open their hearts when we send out the ‘Turkeys Wanted’ letter,” Ms. Tupper said.
Many families donated the free-turkey gift certificates they got at grocery stores to Human Resources in years past, but many supermarkets have stopped giving away turkeys to shoppers, Ms. Tupper pointed out.
Despite unfavorable circumstances, she said she still expects families will step up to help the less fortunate.
“That’s what this program is always based on,” Ms. Tupper said, “the local people giving to the local families in need.”
The Human Resources food pantry is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon, and the clothing room is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
The clothing room used to see about 50 visitors every Tuesday and Thursday, but now the average is more than 100, Ms. Tupper said. “The food pantry rolls have increased as well,” she added. “Every day we’re signing up new families.”
During November, food pantry recipients can also sign up to receive a holiday dinner and gifts for their family on December 18.
To collect gift donations, Human Resources uses “giving trees.” Paper ornaments with the age and gender of a needy child are distributed to local businesses and other groups, which hang the ornaments on a Christmas tree. Donors remove an ornament and return with a gift.
Human Resources will have a wrapping party on December 7 between 2 and 4 p.m. to wrap all the “giving tree” donations. “Anybody is welcome to come help,” Ms. Tupper said.
For more about Human Resources of the Hamptons, visit hrhamptons.com or call 283-6415. Human Resources is located at 168 Hill Street in Southampton.
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