To the Editor:

Before we know it, the holiday season will be upon us. I’m sure you’re familiar with Clement Clarke Moore’s beloved poem, ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. One of my favorite lines is, “The children were nestled, all snug in their beds…” It brings to mind the warmth and magic of childhood and Christmas.

Unfortunately, for some children in our own communities, being warm and cozy at bedtime isn’t always a given. Some families struggle to keep their homes warm or face difficult choices when it comes to affording heat and other basic necessities. Here in the North Country, where winters can be long and harsh, every child deserves the comfort of warm pajamas, cozy socks, and a blanket to snuggle under.

While many wonderful programs provide toys and gifts at Christmas, we keep coming back to the importance of the basics: having enough to eat and staying warm. CLPK will once again provide boxes of nutritious food to families experiencing food insecurity, continuing a tradition we began many years ago. We also want to make bedtime a little warmer and Christmas morning a little more magical.

We are excited to sponsor our third annual The Children Were Nestled, All Snug in Their Beds Project.

Through this project, you can “adopt” a child and provide a few simple holiday comforts:

A pair of warm pajamas in the child’s size

Warm socks

A cozy blanket or throw

A Christmas stocking filled with holiday treats

To keep things simple and ensure all children receive comparable stockings, we ask sponsors to purchase a few small holiday treats from Dollar Tree.

There are two ways to participate:

Adopt a Child: We’ll provide a tag with the child’s pajama size so you can shop for their holiday items.

Make a Donation: If you prefer not to shop, you can make a monetary donation to the Community Lunch Program for Kids, with “Snug in Their Beds” on the memo line. Mail checks to CLPK, 9 Morton Street, Norwood, NY 13668. We’ll do the shopping for you!

Sponsors will receive a letter with additional details, including drop-off information, when they receive their tag(s).

To sponsor a child or make a donation, please call (315) 212-0520 or email Wendy at wchambers384@gmail.com.

Thank you for helping make the holidays a little warmer and brighter for children in our community.

Wendy Chambers

Snug in Their Beds

Community Lunch Program for Kids