St. Francis Medical Center is now holding its annual blanket and coat drive as part of its mission to help those in need.
Hundreds of items are donated each year to New Horizon Health Services and the City of Trenton’s Coordinated Entry and Assessment Services Center, a one-stop facility that battles homeless issues.
St. Francis is seeking donations of:
New or gently-used blankets, coats, scarves, gloves and winter hatsNew men’s undergarments and socks (must be packaged)Towels and toiletries, such as toothbrushes, soap, shampoo and hairbrushes
Donations can be dropped-off to the chapel of St. Francis Medical Center, 601 Hamilton Avenue in Trenton.
Donations will be accepted through Jan. 8, 2019. A Mass for the homeless will be held on Jan. 9 at 11:30 a.m. After Mass, donated items will then be transported to New Horizon Health Services and Trenton’s CEAS Center.
St. Francis Medical Center Toy Drive
Every year, children are invited to the medical center enjoy Breakfast with Santa as well as receive a new toy from Santa and his helpers.
More than 250 children and their families typically attend the event. In addition to having breakfast at St. Francis, children enjoy a host of activities, including face painting, arts and crafts, and magic tricks with a magician. They also write Christmas letters, make food for Santa’s reindeer, and take a photo with Santa.
To help make this holiday special for a child in the community, the medical center welcomes new, unwrapped toys as donations now through Wednesday, Nov. 28.
Donations are greatly appreciated. Any surplus of toys after the hospital’s Breakfast with Santa event will be donated to Toys for Tots, a program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children in need for Christmas.
Toys collection boxes are located in the medical center’s three main areas—Chambers Street lobby, Hamilton lobby and Crean Hall lobby.
For more information about the toy drive or coat drive, contact the St. Francis Medical Center Foundation at (609) 599-5659 or email jennifer.voutsinas@stfrancismedical.org.
