Syracuse, N.Y. — Decorations are going up. Shopping is underway.
Another sign that the holidays are fast approaching: The annual Hope for the Holidays campaign, also known as the “Old Newsboys” drive, is happening next week.
Hope for the Holidays raises money to buy toys, books and food for The Christmas Bureau’s annual pre-Christmas giveaway. Last year’s drive raised more than $50,000, enough to help about 5,000 children and 2,000 participating families.
The primary method of collecting money, as it has been for most of the last 90 years, is for teams of people to “sell” special editions of The Post-Standard newspaper in return for donations at locations throughout Syracuse and its suburbs. That will take place Friday, Dec. 9 and Saturday, Dec. 10.
But there are other ways to donate, introduced during the Covid pandemic, that grew in popularity and remain key to the campaign, said Tom Brown, circulation operations director for Advance Local Syracuse, the publisher of The Post-Standard. They include donations online, or by text or email. (See details below).
“The street vendors are still the primary collection point,” Brown said. “But the newer methods are now up to about 25% of the total.”
The Old Newsboys tradition started in 1932, when volunteers from the paper raised $1,800 to help poor families buy coal to heat their homes. It is a collaboration of Advance Media New York, which operates The Post-Standard and syracuse.com, and the Salvation Army.
The Christmas Bureau, a joint project of the Salvation Army and the United Way, holds its gift distribution at the OnCenter in downtown Syracuse Wednesday, Dec. 21. Doors open at 8:30 a.m., shopping takes place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We’re excited for our 91st year of ‘Hope for the Holidays,’ ” said Tim Kennedy, president of Advance Media New York. “Giving to help others is so powerful – for those in need and for each of us who help.”
Details (and how to help)
In-person sales: Teams of volunteers will hits the streets starting at 6 a.m. Friday Dec. 9 and Saturday Dec. 10. You’ll find them on street corners or in or near businesses and shops that permit them. Any size donation is accepted.
To volunteer: If your or your group would like to volunteer to hawk Old Newsboys’ papers, contact Tom Brown at 315-470-2053 or email at tbrown@advancelocal.com. You can also up as a fundraiser through the Salvation Army’s Hope for the Holidays page.
Donate online: Go the Hope For the Holidays 2022 page hosted by the Salvation Army to make an online donation. Those will be accepted through Dec. 31.
Text: Text the message HFTH2022 to 51555.
Mail: Donate by mail by sending checks to Advance Media New York, 220 S Warren St Syracuse NY 13202. Make check out to: The Old Newsboys Sale.
To volunteer for the Christmas Bureau gift distribution at The OnCenter on Dec. 21 call Samantha Miller at 315-479-1159.
Don Cazentre writes for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook.