POTSDAM -- The Potsdam Holiday Fund has placed nearly 50 Gift Giving Trees at Potsdam area businesses who donate space, time, and merchandise to help the local giving program.

The list of participating businesses and their locations can be viewed online at http://www.potsdamholidayfund.org/pdf/giving_trees.pdf.

Persons interested in donating a present for a child may pick a gift tag from any of the trees.

For more information, contact the Potsdam Holiday Fund at 261-9887 or by e-mailing info@potsdamholidayfund.org.

The Potsdam Holiday Fund, Inc. is a non-profit organization, providing new toys, clothing, boots, books and food to needy families and senior citizens in Potsdam, Madrid, Hopkinton, Nicholville, Brasher Falls, Chase Mills, Fort Jackson, West Stockholm and Winthrop.

Each year the program distributes over 2,500 gifts and new winter garments to more than 450 needy children. The toys are collected from three main sources: Potsdam Holiday Fund Giving Trees, the Marines Toys For Tots Foundation, and purchases made as needed by the Potsdam Holiday Fund program from donations from the public.

The Potsdam Kiwanis Club conducts the Giving Tree program for the Holiday Fund by distributing giving tags to businesses hosting a tree. The tags specify either a boy or girl with an age from birth to 17 years old. Customers select one or more tags and purchase a present for the child. The customer wraps the present and leaves it under the tree for later pickup and distribution. Items of clothing are best placed in open gift bags since parents usually want to see the article before taking for their child.

If you can’t get to a tree, donations to the Potsdam Holiday Fund can be sent to the Potsdam Holiday Fund at PO Box 827, Potsdam, NY 13676.

To volunteer to deliver food or distribute and wrap gifts, e-mail the fund at info@potsdam holidayfund.org. More info is at http://www.potsdamholidayfund.org.