Homeless For The Holidays Delivers In Orleans

ORLEANS – The sights and sounds of the holiday season can be found on just about every corner this time of year. Orleans Fire Local 2675, for one, picked their usual spot along Route 6A next door to the Red Balloon Toy Shop.

The union hosted its annual Homeless for the Holidays fundraising campaign last week. From Dec. 4 through Dec. 8, members spent a total of 103 hours outside collecting food, clothing and other items for donation to families in need this season through the Lower Cape Outreach Council.

This year’s campaign garnered $4,786 in monetary donations (gift cards and checks), 384 toys, 318 pounds of food and 208 new clothing items, said Orleans Firefighter Paramedic Gabby Parker, who helps coordinate the event for the union. Collected items were stored in a trailer for delivery to the council.

“Overall it was a pretty big success,” Orleans Fire Chief Geof Deering said. “I’m really super proud of them for organizing this and getting it done, being out there.”

Parker said with the rising cost of food, housing and other goods and services, the items collected through this year’s event go even further to help those in the community in need. 

“I think the takeaway is the people who did donate, it makes an even bigger impact [this year],” she said. “We have to thank them, because that made all the difference for us. Overall, I think it was a really hard year for people.”

Now in its 23rd year, Homeless for the Holidays started with the Bourne Fire Department in 2002. Fire and police departments across the Cape have since been staging their own local versions of the fundraiser to collect goods for people in need during the holiday season. According to the nonprofit’s website, the event has collected more than 119,000 toys, more than 121,000 pounds of food and $861,359 in monetary donations across all participating departments heading into this season.

Looking ahead, Parker said organizers will explore how to grow the event in Orleans and draw more people to donate. That could include incorporating things such as live music as part of the fundraiser.

“We’re optimistic for next year,” she said. “We’re going to keep plugging along.”