Rockville, Maryland, Oct. 17 - For more than four-and-a-half decades, through the Holiday Drive, Rockville has sponsored outreach that brings the community together each year to provide food baskets, gift certificates and toys to needy Rockville families throughout the Thanksgiving and December holidays.

Here are some ways you can make a difference in 2019:

• Send a tax-deductible contribution (checks can be made payable to the City of Rockville and sent to 111 Maryland Ave., Rockville, MD 20850. Please add Rockville Holiday Drive Fund to the memo line of the check). Donations help Rockville buy healthy food options for individuals and families.
• Organize a canned food drive (with a focus on healthier food like low-sodium beans and soups, no-sugar-added canned fruits and whole-wheat pasta).
• Pack or deliver Thanksgiving food baskets.
• Organize a toy or book drive to collect new unwrapped toys or books (new books for children of all ages, including teenagers, are needed).
• Donate $20 gift certificates for Giant or Target.

The Holiday Drive relies entirely on monetary contributions, donated food and new toys from local individuals, schools, businesses and organizations. This year, the city is hoping to increase the number of monetary donations it receives to be able to buy healthy food options for needy families and individuals.

You can donate food at City Hall and city recreation facilities until Thursday, Nov. 15 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Make a donation at bit.ly/holidaydrive19.

Food, toys and gift cards distributed by the Holiday Drive are donated or purchased using donated funds. All donations of money and goods are tax deductible.

THE 2018 ROCKVILLE HOLIDAY DRIVE MADE THE HOLIDAYS SPECIAL for hundreds of families in Rockville with generous contributions from 189 individuals, businesses, schools, churches and community organizations.

These contributions, and the hard work of many volunteers, enabled the city to:

In November:

• Provide Thanksgiving meals to 502 families, including more than 1,700 individuals.
• Host a Thanksgiving meal for 103 seniors.

In December, serve:

• 599 families.
• 1,038 children.
• 189 senior or adult-only households.

Distribute:

• 1,168 toys to 584 children in need.
• 293 board games and stuffed animals.
• 1,038 books.
• 584 stocking stuffers.
• 309 gift cards to Rockville teens.

In addition, gifts tailored to the needs of 55 families, including 92 adults and 146 children, were distributed through the family sponsorship program.

Find out more about the 2019 Holiday Drive at www.rockvillemd.gov/holidaydrive.

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