Community Chest Raises $25K for Holiday Donations

In just one year, the volunteers at the more than tripled the donations for their fundraising program that assists local families in need for the holiday season.

The "Neighbors in Need Program" began in 2009 when $7,000 was raised for a number of families in the community. For this year, more than $25,000 was distributed among 61 families in the Five Towns, Lynbrook, Valley Stream, Oceanside and Long Beach.

"The Neighbors in Need Program was created last year with money donated in a very short time," said Dyan Zeller Harris, a Community Chest director and chairwoman. "This year, the board of directors decided to hold its first annual concert, which was a huge success."

The concert was held at the on Nov. 18 and more than 350 people were in attendance. The concert featured Jay and the Americans, a New York-based pop/rock group from the 1960s. All proceeds raised were used to benefit local families based on their individual needs.

"The organization was founded on the premise that the people in our community who are more fortunate can help out the less fortunate," Harris said. "As the make up of the community changed, we thought it was important to develop another arm of our agency, specifically for our neighbors who are struggling."

Since 1931, Five Towns Community Chest, the area's oldest non-profit fundraising organization, has made it their mission to give back to the community and its agencies.

"The 'Neighbors in Need Program' is mostly a holiday program, but the Five Towns Community Chest is always available," said Pepper Robinson, director of the Five Towns Early Childhood Center. "I would never hesitate to call them — they always respond to the community's needs."

Robinson was chosen as the keynote speaker at last month's event. She brought with her one of the 2009 recipients to speak about how much the community's help had made a difference.

"It was so unexpected and appreciated," Robinson said. "They cried; it's really not expected and people have so many needs right now."

Bertha Pruitt, executive director of the Five Towns Community Center, said that in the 36 years she has worked for the center, the Community Chest was always a very big supporter.

"They are a growing group of volunteers and they work very hard to make sure they can support organizations like ours," Pruitt said of the Community Chest. "The clients that we deal with are very thankful of the support they recieved from Neighbors in Need last year and this year."

Five Towns Community Chest's next major fundraising event will take place in March. Their annual youth board basketball tournament will be held at in honor of Adam Barsel, a Hewlett student who was killed in an accident in October 2000.