At the end of the first week of Operation Holiday, both the need and the response have been great.
The fund has collected more than $16,000, including a $10,000 anonymous contribution, and gift cards and food have been ordered to serve 151 local families and 416 children.
The emphasis that this is a difficult economic year for many is borne out by the requests coming in daily for Operation Holiday aid, above and beyond the families that have already been referred.
A woman in the Owen J. Roberts area writes to describe how a car accident involving a drunk driver has left her without a car or ability to pay her bills.
The loss of income over months due to injuries has led to unpaid bills, and on Monday she was evicted from her apartment. She is a trained nurse and a single mother of two children, working hard to get back on her feet. But, in the meantime, life has gotten in the way.
A Phoenixville area man can not work as he battles a severe form of cancer. His wife works to make ends meet, and his daughters help out around the house, but the cost of treatment that is not covered by insurance and the incidentals of travel to appointments and other necessities has depleted the family finances. The choices come down to buying food, paying the mortgage, or paying for medicine with nothing left over for holiday gifts.
A woman in Pottstown is seeking help for a close friend who is a single mother of two children. The youngest, a baby, was born prematurely with serious health issues that required long hospitalizations in Philadelphia and other critical demands. The young mother works, but struggles to care for the baby and afford day care for her older child. Gifts for the holidays are the least of her concerns.
These stories are being matched by equally touching donations from area readers. Many are sending checks for $25, $50, $100, $300, even while they deal with their own misfortunes and financial insecurity. Some families have reduced their gift-buying this year and substituted donations to those more needy.
The Pottstown area is home to many kindhearted and generous people. When their neighbors struggle, they reach out to help.
And, Operation Holiday is the best example of this community’s desire to help its own. All the money donated is distributed to area families. There is no overhead, and there is no handoff of funds to other social service agencies. The strength of this program is that every dollar sent goes to help a neighbor in need.
This year, the program is dealing with an abundance of both generosity and need, of neighbors helping neighbors.
The Mercury thanks our readers for your part in helping us help those less fortunate.

Operation Holiday is funded solely by readers’ contributions. The names of all those who contribute except those who wish to remain anonymous will be printed in The Mercury between now and Dec. 24. All contributions are tax deductible. Contributions may be mailed or brought to the offices of The Mercury, P.O. Box 484, Pottstown PA 19464. Make checks payable to Operation Holiday.