Findlay Holiday Charities

The holiday season is often full of giving to family and friends, but this year, consider helping local residents and families that may be struggling. Here in Findlay, we have several amazing local charities that make it possible to bring happier holidays to families in need. Take a look through this list of charities that are accepting everything from food and clothes to toys and diapers. For more information on these charities, visit The Courier.

American Red Cross of North Central Ohio

125 Fair St.
419-422-9322.
The Red Cross invites community members to help the agency bring hope to people in some of their darkest hours. Donations to the annual Red Cross Holiday Giving Campaign support someone who has lost everything in a disaster, a hospital patient who needs blood, or a military family facing an emergency. The American Red Cross reports that as many as 44,000 blood donations are needed every day across the country. To donate blood, go to redcrossblood.org and enter your ZIP code for a full list of area blood drives, or call 800-RED-CROSS.
The Red Cross is also seeking monetary donations, which go to help those affected by disasters. To make a monetary donation, visit redcross.org/NCOhio, call 800-RED-CROSS or send a check to 125 Fair St., Findlay.

Angel Tree Project

14901 Ohio 12, 419-427-0061
11814 Allen Township 100, 419-423-3764
The Findlay branches of Impact Credit Union are collecting toys and clothing for around 160 Hancock County children through the 25th annual Angel Tree Project. Each angel on a tree has the name of a child, the clothing size and a toy the child would like for Christmas.
Patrons can take an angel and return wrapped gifts to the branch by Dec. 15. The tag with the child’s name should be attached to the gifts. The donations will be distributed through the Head Start program. The Clyde branch of the credit union will collect toys and clothing for children in Sandusky County.

CHOPIN Hall

1800 N. Blanchard St., Findlay, OH
419-422-6401
Donation hours: Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
CHOPIN Hall (Christians Helping Other People In Need) is a nonprofit organization that offers an emergency supply of food, which is based on the number of people living in each household, as well as gently used clothing, shoes, coats, kitchen items, linens, toys, household items and personal care items to families in need. Also needed are canned hams, frozen turkeys or hams, boxes of cereal and fruit juice, as well as personal care items such as shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, laundry detergent and baby diapers. Monetary donations can be mailed or delivered to the office, as well as given online.

Christian Clearing House

1800 N. Blanchard St., Suite 107, Family Center
419-422-2222
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon; Monday and Wednesday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Christian Clearing House is a nonprofit that provides provides housing, security deposits and rent to keep people in their residences.
Monetary donations are the organization’s main need. The agency is also taking donations of laundry detergent, dish soap, toilet paper, diapers and baby wipes. Donors should call before dropping off donations, especially larger donations, so staff can meet the donor at the back of the Family Center. Funds are also needed for staple items, food, and toiletries to supplement items received at food banks. Donations are also being accepted for “Project Happy Feet,” which provides new shoes to area children at the beginning of the school year. Monetary donations can be mailed or checks may be delivered to the office, or online.

City Mission

510 W. Main Cross St.
419-423-9151
The City Mission provides emergency and temporary shelter for the homeless, as well as programs and housing for those in recovery from addiction. Evening meals are open to the community seven nights a week, and food boxes are distributed every Tuesday and Thursday, with special holiday boxes containing a turkey on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The City Mission also holds an annual children’s party for resident children and low-income families. It will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10 in the Mission dining hall. The agency is still in need of toys for the party such as Lego sets, Mattel Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels cars, Fisher Price Little People, books, children’s Bibles, and sports balls. The Mission is in need of donations for their Christmas food boxes: frozen turkeys or hams, canned fruit, boxed potatoes, can or jar gravy, canned yams, boxed desserts, and Lipton-style sides. Financial contributions to the City Mission help to ensure the hungry and homeless will continue to be served. Financial donations can be made online or mailed/delivered to 510 W. Main Cross St.

Coats for Christmas

The Hancock Leadership Alumni Association has completed its collection of new and gently used winter coats, hats and mittens for the 29th annual Coats for Christmas campaign. Distribution will be done from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11 at Glenwood Middle School. There is no financial restriction for eligibility. Anyone in need of a coat or hat and mittens is welcome.
The campaign is coordinated by the Hancock Leadership Alumni Association, City Dry Cleaning, and the Engage youth leadership organization, with help from area businesses, service organizations and volunteers. City Dry Cleaning employees and volunteers donate their time to clean and prepare the coats for distribution.

Friends of Santa

P.O. Box 1358, Findlay, OH 45839
567-208-7828
Friends of Santa sets up “wishing trees” containing tags that list wishes by families in need. Anyone is welcome to take one or more tag from a the trees and return the requested item to the tree. The gifts are then delivered on Christmas Day. Monetary donations and gift cards are also being accepted to fulfill any wish tags that may not be picked up. Donations can be mailed to Friends of Santa, P.O. Box 1358, Findlay.

Gift of Reading

The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library will give library patrons the opportunity to share the joy of books with children during the annual “Give the Gift of Reading” program. Donations will support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, administered locally by the Literacy Coalition of Hancock County. The Imagination Library mails a new, age-appropriate book each month to enrolled Hancock County children ages 0-5. Each $25 donation provides a monthly book to a child for a year. Donations to Gift of Reading may be made at the Circulation Services desk in the library lobby, at the Arlington Branch Library, or at the Bookmobile. Donations by mail may be sent to Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, Gift of Reading, 206 Broadway, Findlay 45840.

Hope House

Hope House Shelter, 419 Western Ave., 419-425-4673.
Hope House Housing Office, 1800 N. Blanchard St., Suite 106, 419-427-2848.
Hope House’s mission is to eliminate homelessness and poverty. The agency matches donors with clients who are in need of Christmas assistance. Hope House has a program for families struggling after a problem such as a layoff or a house fire, and is looking for sponsors to meet these emergency needs for Christmas by providing Wal-Mart or Meijer gift and gas cards. Monetary donations to the agency can be made with a check payable to Hope House and sent or dropped off at 1800 N. Blanchard St., Suite 106. Items on the agency’s “wish list” include: paper towels, toilet paper, automatic dishwasher soap, hand dish soap, laundry detergent, bleach, toilet bowl cleaner, cleaning supplies, Lysol disinfectant spray, vinegar, food storage bags, paper plates and cups, trash bags (33- or 55-gallon), tissues, new pillows, twin-size sheets, kitchen towels, bath towels, aspirin, Motrin, and diapers of any size. Also needed: laundry baskets, latex gloves, blankets, new baby monitors, pots and pans, book bags or drawstring bags, and cookie baking sheets. Food items on the “wish list” include: breads, soups, canned goods, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti sauce and pasta, instant potatoes, gravy, cereal, baking supplies, potatoes, crackers, coffee and creamer, snacks such as chips, cookies and pretzels, sugar (both white and brown), and cooking oil. Donated items can be dropped off at Hope House’s office at the Family Center.

Open Arms Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services

419-420-9261
Open Arms Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services provides emergency and ongoing support to adult and child victims of domestic violence. Ways to help the agency include: Adopting a family; Open Arms selects families that are in need of help for the holidays. The agency will provide donors with their story and a list of their needs. Wish list drive; Open Arms relies on in-kind donations to operate its emergency shelter. The agency’s wish list items include paper towels, toilet paper, dishwasher soap, hand soap, laundry detergent, cleaning products, trash bags, tissues, new pillows, kitchen towels, and bath towels. Annual client Christmas party; Items needed include hamburger buns, vegetable trays, baked goods, chips, and 2-liter bottles of pop or juice. Monetary donations can be mailed to Open Arms, P.O. Box 496, Findlay OH 45839.

Salvation Army

301 Center St., Findlay
419-422-8238
The Salvation Army is collecting money in Findlay with kettles at both Wal-Mart stores, both Kroger stores, Great Scot on Broad Avenue, JCPenney in the Findlay Village Mall, and during the morning at the Tiffin Avenue Tim Hortons. Donations to the Salvation Army provide food, clothing, and toys to families in need. Checks may be sent to the Salvation Army, 301 Center St., with “kettles” written in the memo line.
Donations of food and toys will be used to fill Christmas baskets for families.

Toys for Tots

Volunteers will be collecting toys at Findlay Village Mall from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 10, 11, 17 and 18, and at the Tiffin Avenue Wal-Mart from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 11 and 18. Toys can also be dropped off at over a hundred locations including Kroger, Walgreens, Planet Fitness, Findlay Implement Co., AMVETS, the American Legion, and 50 North. Cash can also be donated and will be used by the U.S. Marines to purchase more toys.
The University of Findlay’s 12th annual Toys for Tots campaign will culminate with a free, public Christmas party from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday in the Alumni Memorial Union’s fireside lounge. Guests will be able to meet and thank U.S. Marine Corps members for their service, meet Santa’s helper, and enjoy Christmas music and snacks. Donations can be made during the Christmas party or at the Alumni Memorial Union’s drop box, located next to office 8A. Toy drop-off times will be from 9 a.m. to noon, and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. today and Tuesday.
All toys must be new, unwrapped and suitable for children from infants to 15 years old. Electronics such as DVDs, CDs, video games and gaming systems are discouraged. Cash donations will be accepted in the Office of Student Activities.
Alexandria’s will host an event from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, December 7, at which Marines will also be present and accepting donations of toys and money.

Women’s Resource Center

1011 N. Main St., Findlay
419-424-9948
The Hancock County Women’s Resource Center is seeking donations of diapers for infants and toddlers as well as monetary gifts.
The center provides a variety of services throughout the year. In addition to pregnancy tests, the center has a diaper points program where families can earn diapers. The center’s Character and Relationships Education Program is offered to area schools. Those who wish to donate gifts can stop by the center at 1011 N. Main St. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, or from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.