CLEVELAND — The need to help our neighbors is always there, but it’s especially imperative this year in the midst of a pandemic.
Here are three ways that our viewers can help Northeast Ohioans who are struggling to make ends meet:
1. Give a financial gift to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.
As many prepare for the holidays, the need remains high for those served by the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, especially during this pandemic. More than 404,000 Food Bank clients turned to the Food Bank and its partner agencies in the past year. One-third of these clients have visited a food pantry or distribution for the first time.
If you’re downsizing your holiday meal this year, please consider donating the difference to help the Food Bank continue to provide emergency food to the thousands in need in Northeast Ohio. To make an online contribution, click this link.
2. Keep a child warm by donating to Coats for Kids.
Coats for Kids Cleveland wants to make sure every child who needs a coat gets one. New and like-new coats are being accepted in all sizes, infant to adult. Collection bins are now in place at all major shopping malls, and also at Petitti Garden Centers, Howard Hanna Real Estate Offices and other locations.
Coats for Kids also accepts monetary donations so they can buy coats. You can give by clicking here. Also, Altar’d State, a women’s clothing store at Beachwood Place, Crocker Park and Summit Mall, is donating 10% of its sales on Mondays now thru Dec. 23 to Coats for Kids.
3. Support the Stuff the Truck toy drive.
This Dec. 5 drive-through toy collection has concluded, and we enthusiastically thank our viewers for making it a huge success. WKYC was proud to be the media sponsor for this event, which helped the Cleveland Police Foundation and Skylight Foundation keep their annual toy giveaway going despite the pandemic.
Five hundred toys were dropped off during the one-day Stuff the Truck event, held outdoors at the park across from Cleveland's West Side Market. Also, $4,000 in cash contributions was collected, which was matched by the Skylight Foundation and used to purchase additional gifts for children. The toys will be distributed throughout December to Cleveland-area families in need that are referred by the A Special Wish Foundation, Cleveland police officers, schools and city councilmen.