Some local elementary school teachers will be getting additional resources as the school year begins, thanks to the nonprofit Gift of Giving.
The all-volunteer charity, formed in 1995 as Angels of Christmas, gathered on Aug. 16 at the former St. Dominic school building to place items in bags and boxes for deliveries to schools.
The schools benefiting from donations are St. Dominic, St. Matthew, New Foundations Charter, Tacony Academy Charter and Pollock.
Gift of Giving raises money each year during a comedy night and two bingos.
In addition, this year, the nonprofit received a $25,000 grant from state Sen. Joe Picozzi and a $5,000 grant from Univest.
“The more we get in, the more can be spent on projects,” said founder and president Tom Kutchner.
Twice each year – on Saturdays near Easter and Thanksgiving – Gift of Giving volunteers head to St. Dominic’s Marian Hall to prepare meals for Caring for Friends. In recent years, they’ve made 10,000 meals a year.
“It’s been 30-some years and we just went over 100,000 meals made,” Kutchner said.
The charity also holds an annual holiday party at Marian Hall, inviting needy families for food, frozen turkeys and gifts from Santa Claus.
“As our commitment has grown, so has the support of our volunteers,” Kutchner said.
The volunteers assisting the teachers were divided among three rooms.
Some sorted cleaning items such as tissues, paper towels, wipes and hand sanitizer.
Others picked out classroom decorations, indoor and outdoor recess equipment, bins, paper and autism support items.
And in the other room, volunteers worked in teams of two to box an assortment of goods – bookbags, pens, pencils, erasers, pencil cases, folders, sticky notes, rulers, notebooks, files, highlighters, index cards, crayons, scientific calculators, watercolor paint, markers, glue, tape, scissors, construction paper, chalk pastels, book covers, sandwich bags and freezer bags.
The items were purchased with money from fundraisers and the two grants, while others were generously donated into drop boxes by residents at Pennypack Woods and customers and staff at the Dining Car, the Parkwood Pretzel Factory, the Truist Bank at 12051 Knights Road and the Keller Williams office in Newtown.
“We help out the Northeast. Ninety-nine percent of what we do is in the Northeast,” Kutchner said.
While Gift of Giving uses the facilities at St. Dominic, the charity is looking for a site of its own.
For more information on the group or to make a donation or join, Kutchner directs people to GiftOfGiving.org or the nonprofit’s Facebook page.
“We always welcome volunteers to sign up,” Kutchner said. ••
