Ellen Hurlbut and David Gerace help prepare food bags for the Massena Neighborhood’s Christmas program recently. Several dozen Alcoa employees and their family members, PAL of Massena, and modified boys basketball players teamed up for the annual giving program serving 238 families in need this year. NCNow photo.

North Country This Week

MASSENA – The holiday spirit of giving continues at the Massena Neighborhood Center again this season with their annual Christmas program.

This year 238 families and individuals in need are being served, made up of 253 children, 306 adults and 63 seniors, from Massena, Norfolk, Brasher and Bombay areas.

“We have a lot of new families we’ve never seen before in our program,” said Emily LaShomb, Director of Massena Neighborhood Center.

“We received a roughly five-day supply of food from the Food Bank of Central New York with turkey, bread, and some bags with groceries in it that will roughly be a five-day food supply as per the food bank guidelines,” said LaShomb.

“Children 11 and younger are receiving toys, and students 12 and older are receiving a gift card to either Walmart, Ollies or Dollar General,” she said.

“We partnered with the Fire Department in Massena this year to give coats to children who need them, through the Operation Warm program.”.

“We also have hats and mittens, toothbrushes and toothpaste and some smaller toys from Dollar Tree that were donated. The hats and mittens are mostly homemade and have been made throughout the year by people and churches and donated to the center,” she said.

“The toys we have this year for the kids we purchased. Our fundraising committee sends out letters to local businesses and people, and we receive monetary donations. This program is funded by the community,” she said.

“We applied for a $3,000 grant from Alcoa that we received to help purchase gifts,” said LaShomb.  said

“Alcoa’s ACTION grant stands for Alcoans Coming Together In Our Neighborhood,” said Chrissy Moody, Alcoa coordinator.

“We look forward to this every year. It’s our biggest ACTION grant with the most participation of employees and family members. There are over 15 employees and their families helping with today’s “Bag Day,” said Moody.

Also helping with packing food in bags Saturday, Dec. 11, were Massena Central School’s modified boys basketball team and employees of Police Activities League (PAL) of Massena.

Director LaShomb gave praise for the Massena Neighborhood Center’s volunteers as well.

“Contributions from Becky Clark exceed her volunteering as the Christmas program coordinator. She has been volunteering daily throughout COVID. The Christmas program is a full-time job on its own,” she said.

“We also have volunteers Mike Mayette, Gary Phillips and Timothy Hoag. Timothy is here daily, along with Becky. I could not run my center without the loyal volunteers I have,” said LaShomb.

Due to COVID again this year, applications were taken over the phone, rather than in person at the center. Pickup of food and gifts is again a drive-thru format, with deliveries provided to those without transportation.