Archive: Around Town

United Way of Tompkins County (UWTC), in partnership with the Hangar Theatre and Target Corporation, has delivered 1,000 pairs of socks to local schools for children in need. These socks were purchased with the proceeds of the Christmas Carol Fund.

The Christmas Carol Fund was created to address the basic needs of area youth. The Hangar Theatre donated a portion of August ticket sales from their production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" to kickoff the Christmas Carol Fund. The Christmas Carol Fund was promoted throughout the run of the show in December and attendees were invited to contribute through a text to give campaign.

"The Hangar Theatre Company is honored to be collaborating for the United Way Christmas Carol Fund," said Michael Barakiva, Artistic Director at The Hangar Theatre, "A Christmas Carol, with its message of charity, kindness and hope feels like the perfect intersection of our organizations' mission. We look forward to many more fruitful opportunities to work together again and give back to the community."

UWTC volunteers worked with local education leaders to identify the greatest needs for the youth in their schools. They recommended collections be funneled towards socks based on the response they received when a similar donation was made last year. 14 local schools will now be distributing socks to children in need.

Often overlooked, socks are one of the most needed items for some families. Socks typically do not get a second life, making it difficult to meet the demand.

"The Hangar Theatre extended the very nature of this classic about compassion," said James Brown, UWTC President & CEO, "and helped make a real and needed contribution.1,000 pairs of socks means 2,000 warm feet for our children here in Tompkins County."

v14i10