Being rushed to the emergency room was the last thing Megan expected this holiday season.
But when a spinal injury left Megan sidelined from her job for weeks, she was forced to stretch her finances even thinner than usual.
“I’m a single mom of three young babies,” Megan said. “So that’s what I dealt with this year.”
Luckily, Megan was able to return to her job as a manager for a local business after treatment, but the hefty medical bills remained.
She said her holiday plans involved taking her children to Longwood Gardens using the park’s SNAP EBT discount.
Still, the costs of being a sole provider have weighed especially heavy since the surgery.
“It’s just everything,” Megan said. “Clothes, food, utilities. The cost of transportation. And my mental health, dealing with all that.”
Families like Megan’s can breathe a little easier this holiday, thanks to the generosity of Operation Holiday donors.
History
Operation Holiday was started in 1991 at The Mercury in Pottstown to help families going through tough times provide something for their children during the holidays. The mission of the program is to make sure there is food on the table and gifts under the tree when Christmas morning comes.
Now in its 35th year, the program has served thousands of families throughout Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties, expanding its reach in recent years to include communities served by readers of the Reading Eagle, The Times Herald, The Reporter, and Daily Local News.
Nearly $85,000 in donations last year provided gift cards to 366 children and grocery gift cards to 189 families plus cash donations to food pantries in Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties.
This year, Operation Holiday has partnered with 21 agencies in the tri-county area. Agencies have referred 199 families with 403 children for gifts and food.
There is no overhead with Operation Holiday and all funds stay local. Funds are collected and audited in a nonprofit foundation account managed by staff of MediaNews Group who volunteer their time.
Gift cards to area grocery stores are provided to each family for food, so that they can purchase the fixings for a holiday dinner as well as staples for the pantry. Weis Markets is a partner with Operation Holiday and has assisted with food purchases and gift cards.
Gift cards for every child in the program 16 years of age or younger are purchased through Boscov’s and distributed in partnership with the referring agencies so that families can purchase gifts of their choice.
Operation Holiday does not accept families who have not been referred by an agency. Operation Holiday is funded solely by reader contributions. All contributions are tax deductible.
How to donate
Online donations are being accepted in a secure portal in partnership with TriCounty Community Network. Visit https://tcnetwork.org/ and click on the link for Operation Holiday.
Contributions also can be mailed with checks payable to Operation Holiday to P.O. Box 1181, Pottstown PA 19464; The Reporter, 34 Susquehanna Ave., Suite 100, Lansdale PA 19446; Operation Holiday, 1440 Lacrosse Ave., Reading PA 19607.
The names of all contributors are published in the participating newspapers as donations are received. Please note whether a contribution should be designated as anonymous or given in tribute or in memory of someone.
