The Village Bank / City of Newton Holiday Gift Drive

The Village Bank will once again partner with the City of Newton’s Department of Health and Human Services for the annual Holiday Gift Drive, with the goal of brightening the upcoming holidays for deserving Newton families.

 Donations of gift certificates and new, unwrapped gifts for children ages newborn to 10 will be accepted from November 19th through December 14th.

 Collection points

The Village Bank’s Newton branches in Auburndale, Newtonville, Nonantum, Newton Highlands, Waban and West Newton will serve as Holiday Gift Drive collection sites.

Suggested gifts include age-appropriate books, CDs, movies, clothing, sporting goods and toys. The donation of gift certificates from local merchants, purchased to help local families in need, will also benefit businesses in the community.

Last year’s Holiday Gift Drive benefited over 200 local families, according to the City’s community social worker, Meghan Kennedy. Thanks to the generosity of local donors, every income-eligible family who applied was provided with age- and gender-appropriate gifts, including toys and food and merchandise gift cards from local stores.

Increased need

This will be the fifth consecutive year that The Village Bank has partnered with the City to collect gifts for deserving local children. It is anticipated that the need will be higher than ever this year.

“People are still struggling as a result of the economy,” said Kenneth C. Brennan, president and CEO of the Village Bank. “But we’re confident that those who can will step up and help   make a difference again this year.”

The Village Bank, chartered by the state in 1910, has seven full-service offices in Newton and Wayland and a Village Loan Center in Auburndale. The Bank also offers online banking services at village-bank.com and maintains a Facebook presence at facebook.com/villagebank.

The Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Share Insurance Fund (SIF).