BALDWINSVILLE — When the storefront the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau had been using for its donation headquarters gained a tenant, the bureau found itself in need of a new home.
“We need quite a large space. It’s for the good of the village of Baldwinsville, but there’s just not a lot of big, empty spaces,” said Lauri Bernstein, longtime coordinator of the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau, which provides holiday gifts and food for B’ville families in need.
Enter the Baldwinsville Central School District. Bernstein called the district to ask if there was any room for the Christmas Bureau, which is a program of the Baldwinsville Volunteer Center. The District Operations Building on Albert Palmer Lane was available.
The partnership is a natural one, as the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau serves families within the boundaries of the BCSD.
“They were super thrilled to offer us the space,” Bernstein said. “It’s a neat connection — we’re helping kids in the district.”
Last year, the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau provided 140 families with presents, stockings and shelf-stable food items. The bureau also puts together Thanksgiving baskets with all the fixings for a Turkey Day meal. This year, 80 families will receive Thanksgiving baskets.
“It is an unbelievable achievement that the community also supports in addition to the items they donate at Christmas. For instance, we have a group of Baker High School students and their teacher who help us every year move from our storage site to our donation site. They wake up early on a Saturday morning and spend a couple hours helping us out,” Bernstein said.
All donated items are distributed within the community. Local businesses and churches often adopt wish lists or make monetary donations to the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau. Each year, a local Girl Scout troop collects 100 sets of pajamas for the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau and an area Boy Scout troop provides boys’ pajama pants.
A committee of volunteers sorts and packs the gifts for distribution.
“Everything that’s donated stays in Baldwinsville, so it’s people in Baldwinsville helping [each other],” Bernstein said. “Every year, Baldwinsville comes through in an unbelievable fashion.”
The pandemic and economic downturn have put greater financial stress on families.
“It’s tough out there, and a lot of people are having a rough time, especially because of COVID,” Bernstein said.
While many donors drop off toys for small children, Bernstein said the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau is always in need of gifts for teenagers. She suggested gift cards, toiletries and books.
The families that benefit from the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau also could use winter coats and boots, sheets and blankets, dishes, small appliances such as toasters and other household goods. Each child receives a stocking as well. Since many donors give the bureau wrapping paper, families will receive a roll to wrap their kids’ gifts, too.
Over the years, Bernstein said she has received thank-you notes from families who have benefited from the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau. Others pay it forward when they get back on their feet.
“Sometimes people that we’ve helped … come back and they’re doing better now, and they donate to us,” Bernstein said.
Drop off new, unwrapped gift items, wrapping paper and nonperishable food items for the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau at the BCSD Operations Building, located at the end of Albert Palmer Lane. The donation period is Saturday, Nov. 26, through Monday, Dec. 12. The donation center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
You can also shop the bureau’s Amazon wish list.
For more information, or to request a wish list of special gift ideas, contact Lauri Bernstein at [email protected] or 315-727-5435 or follow the Baldwinsville Christmas Bureau on Facebook.
