Participation Needed for Social Services Annual Holiday Drives

Hillsborough Township is sponsoring its annual Holiday Food and Gift Program through the Community Assistance Network.

“CAN” is administered through the Hillsborough Township Social Services Department and looks to provide a small reprieve, for those in need, by lending a helping hand in providing gifts for the holidays.

Registered individuals and families provide a wish list and the Community Assistance Network then matches individuals and families with sponsors. Each year, the department looks to the community for residents and organizations willing to sponsor a family or individual. The goal is to provide three gifts per person in the adopted family.

To make shopping easier, each adopted family is asked to provide a “wish list” that is shared with their sponsor. Families are advised that “wish list” items should be $35 or less. The wish list is to be used as a guide; sponsors are not obligated to purchase every item on their list.

Sponsorship options include the following: “adopt” a whole family, “adopt” children from a family, “adopt” just one person from a family, or provide one specific gift to someone in a family.

All items purchased for families in the program are due back in the Social Services Department by Monday Dec. 15^th, in order to be distributed in time for the Holidays. Gifts are to be returned unwrapped, but you may provide wrapping paper and tape. Use this link to sign up to adopt a family.

Hillsborough CAN is a local organization that provides food and necessities to financially struggling families in Hillsborough. It stocks canned goods, other non-perishable food items, baby supplies, household cleaning supplies, paper products and personal hygiene items.

The Hillsborough CAN provides assistance to approximately 100 plus families each month and during the holidays. Clients of Hillsborough CAN have the opportunity to obtain basic need items every two weeks.

Contact Hillsborough CAN at (908)-369-3880 or visit the Township website at www.hillsboroughnj.gov for further information.

If you or someone you know is experiencing financial hardship, contact the Social Services Department at 908-369-3880 for more information and to register for the program.