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…but for some of our Newport County neighbors, putting food on the table and toys under the tree can be difficult.
Our Thanksgiving and Christmas/Holiday food assistance programs offer the ingredients for festive meals to registered families.
Our Santa’s Workshop program offers registered families the opportunity to choose holiday gifts and toys for their children.
All Newport County residents who are not registered for any other holiday help programs are eligible.
Need some extra support for the holidays? The MLK is here to help.
To register for holiday help (Thanksgiving Assistance Program, Holiday Assistance Program and/or Santa’s Workshop), visit the MLK Community Center, Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., starting Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
Please bring:
Registration for Thanksgiving Assistance Program ends Friday, November 15, 2024
Registration for Holiday Assistance Program and Santa’s Workshop ends Wednesday, December 11, 2024
If you missed registration, or for more information, contact us at (401) 846-4828
Santa’s Workshop wouldn’t be possible without generous community and corporate support.
Last year, the MLK provided holiday meals for over 935 families at Thanksgiving and 948 families at Christmas as well as toys and gifts for 1,257 children. We encourage individuals, businesses, and organizations to show their generosity this holiday season by holding toy drives, volunteering, donating new unwrapped toys, grocery and retail gift cards, and more.
Drop off Locations and Times: Please bring new and unwrapped toys, gifts, grocery and retail gift card donations to the loading dock at 20 Dr. Marcus Wheatland Blvd., Mon.-Fri, 9:00am – 5:00pm. Please ring the doorbell at the Donations & Deliveries door when you arrive so that our staff can assist you.
Please donate as early as possible and no later than Wednesday, December 11, 2024 to help us prepare for Santa’s workshop.
To hold a toy drive and schedule your donation date, contact Alyson at (401)846-4828 ext. 102 or anovick@mlkccenter.org
1.) I need help this holiday season. What can I get by signing up for Holiday Help?
Everyone deserves to have a delicious meal for the holidays. Holiday Help provides the support you need to have a holiday meal for your November and December holiday. If you register, you may pick up food jto prepare your Thanksgiving meal and a supermarket gift card just before the Christmas holiday. In addition, if you have children under 18, you may shop for gifts for each child.
2.) How and where can I sign up to receive Holiday Help?
Staff and volunteers will begin registering clients for all Holiday Help programs starting Tuesday, October 15th in the main lobby at 20 Dr. Marcus Wheatland Blvd. in Newport, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Remember to bring your photo ID and proof of address and family size.
The staff member or volunteer helping you will make two appointments for you:
A) An appointment for Thanksgiving food pickup
B) An appointment for either Santa’s Workshop (should you have children in your household) or an appointment for Holiday gift card pickup (should you not have children in your household).
3.) What do I need to bring in order to register?
To register, you will need to bring a valid photo ID, proof of your address, and proof of household size.
4.) Can I register online?
Sorry, we can’t register anyone online at this time.
5.) What is proof of address and family size?
Proof of address is any documentation that you are a Newport County resident, meaning you live in Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Little Compton, or Jamestown. This can be a piece of mail with your name and address on it.
To prove family size, please bring proof of address for the other members in your household. Examples include mail, school documentation with name and address, DHS paperwork, medical cards, children’s birth certificates, lease agreements, social security cards, etc.
Please call us at (401) 846-4828, ext. 100 for more information.
6.) What if I do not have an address?
We understand that many families and individuals experience tough housing situations, but this should not deter anyone from signing up for Holiday Help. Please call us if you have special circumstances, and we will take great care to accommodate you.
7.) When does registration for Thanksgiving end?
Registration for Thanksgiving ends Nov. 15
8.) When does registration for Santa’s Workshop end?
Registration for Santa’s Workshop ends Dec. 11
9.) I do not have kids living in my household. May I still receive a holiday meal help?
Yes. You can sign up for Thanksgiving food and a Holiday grocery gift card. When you register, you will receive two separate appointments to pick up each.
10.) If I sign up for Santa’s Workshop, can my family also receive Thanksgiving and Christmas/Holiday meal help?
Yes. You can sign up for an appointment to pick up Thanksgiving
food and an appointment to pick up a Holiday grocery gift card. When you
register, you will receive two separate appointments to pick up both.
11.) I live with my 18-year-old. May I still register for Santa’s Workshop?
Sorry, no. Only those with children under 18 may register for Santa’s Workshop.
12.) Can I sign up for holiday assistance at multiple agencies?
No. All organizations that offer holiday assistance — including Salvation Army and Child & Family — work very hard to ensure that Newport County residents receive the help they need. Please register for holiday assistance through whatever agency is most appropriate for you. We ask that you do not register with multiple agencies.
13.) Where do I shop for my Thanksgiving meal?
You can shop for your Thanksgiving meal ingredients and
pick up your turkey during your appointment time at the Edward Street entrance of the MLK Community Center, at 20 Dr. Marcus Wheatland Blvd. Only those who have a Thanksgiving meal help appointment may receive a turkey and shop in the Thanksgiving pantry.
14.) Where do I go for my Santa’s Workshop appointment?
Come to the Edward Street entrance of the MLK Community Center to shop for gifts for your children. Only this who have a Santa’s Workshop appointment may receive gifts.
15.) I forgot my appointment time, can I reach out?
Yes. If you forget your appointment time, you can reach out to the center and staff will help you find your appointment time. We will also be sending out reminders as we get closer to that time.
1.) How can I help this holiday season?
The Holiday Help Programs wouldn’t be possible without generous community and corporate support.
Please bring new and unwrapped toys, gifts, grocery and retail gift card donations to the loading dock at 20 Dr. Marcus Wheatland Blvd., Mon.-Fri, 9:00am – 5:00pm. Please ring the doorbell when you arrive so that our staff can assist you.
For Santa’s Workshop: Please donate as early as possible and no later than December 11th to help us prepare for the program.
To hold a toy or gift card drive and schedule your donation date, contact Alyson at (401)846-4828 ext. 102 or Anovick@mlkccenter.org
2.) I don’t have time to buy a new toy, but I still want to help. What can I do?
There are many ways to help! If you would like to purchase a toy online, you can have it shipped to the center. Please be sure to specify delivery for a weekday only delivery (Mon.-Fri.) between 9:00am and 5:00pm to ensure personnel at the Center can receive the delivery. Please email your shipping receipt to anovick@mlkccenter.org so we can acknowledge your donation.
You can also host a toy or gift card drive, volunteer your time, or donate cash to Holiday Programs.
3.) I have lightly used toys at home. Can I donate those?
Though we appreciate all donations, toys must be new and unwrapped. Please donate as early as possible and by Wednesday, December 11th at the latest.
4.) Can I donate a gift card instead of a toy?
Yes! We provide gift cards for teens ages 12-17. We accept gift card donations in $25 increments. We have a suggested list of stores to purchase gift cards from on our Toy List.
5.) I want to donate to Christmas/Holiday Food Help. Can I donate food items? Where do I drop them off?
For our Holiday Food Assistance programs, we ask that you donate grocery gift cards, preferably from Stop and Shop or Shaws in $20 or $25 increments. Donations to the Holiday Food Assistance Programs should be dropped off at our Loading Dock Mon-Fri 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
6.) I want to donate a toy but I do not know what to buy. What do I get?
If you are having trouble deciding what to donate, please check the suggested toy list found on the website. This list is organized by the age of the child receiving the gift and can make deciding much easier.
7.) Do you need volunteers to help with Holiday Programs?
YES! It takes a lot of teamwork to make our Holiday Programs successful. There is so much to do before and during the programs. That is why we need volunteers like you. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Rebecca Richard via email at rrichard@mlkccenter.org or via phone at (401)846 –4828 x103.
8.) I want to host a Toy/ Gift Card Drive but don’t know where to start.
Toy drives by businesses, organizations, and individuals are greatly needed and appreciated. If you are interested in doing a toy/gift card drive, please contact Alyson Novick at anovick@mlkccenter.org or 846-4828 x102 to schedule the drive and delivery date.