LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY — The holiday season was a time of giving at New Hope Community (NHC), where adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities and the staff who support them shared gifts and support with their neighbors in the local community.

New Hope kicked off the holidays in early December by joining with the Fallsburg Police Benevolant Association (PBA) to host a Community Holiday Family Dinner & Toy Drive Giveaway. Santa and his elves delivered toys to local children, and all families received a free hot dinner, prepared by the New Hope Community Bistro, a restaurant staffed by the people New Hope Community supports who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each family also received a $25 ShopRite gift card. More than 75 families in need attended a toy giveaway, courtesy of the Fallsburg PBA. In response to the region’s high demand for nutritional support, New Hope’s Nourish Your Neighbor Food Drive collected healthy, non-perishable food items from staff that were donated to three local foodpantries. NHC also provided each food pantry with $200 worth of ShopRite gift cards to help restock the pantries. Other programs hosted by the community included the outreach to Sullivan County Head Start in Woodbourne, NY.

“Programs like our holiday outreach initiative help us to appreciate the gifts we have and support others in the community. It also gives us an opportunity to build understanding about the many wonderful contributions that people who have disabilities can make in the world,” said Debra McGinness, chief executive officer of New Hope Community. “We’re proud to be a part of this community and be able to help our neighbors whenever we can.”