A single mother from Cumberland County wants to provide some Christmas joy to her 13-year-old son, but says she needs help.
“My son has an immune disorder,” she wrote in a letter to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund. “His body doesn’t react to threats until he’s deathly sick. He doesn’t get a common cold. He gets pneumonia and has to be hospitalized.
“Between his medical bills and my student loans, I don’t even make enough to get us our own place. I’m really struggling to keep us above water and any help would be greatly appreciated.
“He struggles enough in life being sick. I really want him to have something under the Christmas tree.”
The Portland Press Herald Toy Fund in the Spirit of Bruce Roberts is using donations from readers to provide toys to thousands of Maine children who might otherwise not receive holiday gifts because of hardships faced by their parents.
The fund – now in its 67th year – is accepting applications for toys from needy families in Cumberland, York, Sagadahoc, Lincoln and Knox counties. Applications can be downloaded at pressheraldtoyfund.org or picked up at the Welcome Center desk on the fifth floor of One City Center in Portland. Call 791-6672 to have one mailed to you.
Donations to help buy the toys can be made on the website or by writing checks to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund and mailing them to the fund at P.O. Box 7310, Portland, ME 04112.
For more information and to donate online, go to: pressheraldtoyfund.org.
See more stories about the fund at pressherald.com.
TUESDAY’S DONATIONS
In memory of Cynthia Lawhorn-Oja – the love goes on $75
The Hartwells $50
McCormick & Bouchard Eyecare $100
Diane Devlin $25
In memory of Albert Nelson $25
Implemented Solutions $100
In memory of Dick and Arline Curry $100
From Larry, Mary, Michael, Jo-Anna, Richard, Nancy, Uncle Len $100
Merry Christmas – John McCormick $100
In loving memory of Mike & Teddy Dickey – they both loved children and Christmas – Mike & Stephanie Ruel $100
In memory of Patricia and John Scanlan $100
In lieu of a gift to Stephen Parker from John Parker $100
For all the children to have a Merry Christmas – Sandra Greenleaf $50
In loving memory of Uncle Bob – The Miller family $75
Mary Chris Semrow $50
Tenants of 57 Tyng St. $75
Tenants of 255-57 York St. $75
Tenants of 197 Spring St. $100
Tenants of 156-58 Danforth St. $250
Michael Boissonneault $100
In memory of John Stefanski – Love Always, Jim & Val Stefanski $25
Janice Reale $20
In loving memory of Garrett Brackett – Love Always, Mom, Dad, Alyssa, Libby & Reegan $100
Diane Ford $25
In memory of Bruce Roberts – Unity Lodge #3 IOOF $500
Merry Christmas – VFW Deering Memorial Auxillary 6859 $50
Merry Christmas from Ellie $30
Blessings at Christmas – Debra Nolette $50
Anonymous $20
In memory of Uncle Tommy $100
Anonymous $500
In memory of Diana $40
In memory of George & Bea $50
Damen C. Chandler $25
The Tansy family $100
In memory of former Westbrook Mayor Philip Spiller, from loving wife, Elaine $50
For the love of children, from John, Laurel, James and Danny $100
In memory of Nancy Foshay, from Don Foshay $100
Merry Christmas from the fourth-grade team at Greeley Middle! $30
Christine $100
The Richardson family $100
Anonymous $50
Roos family $200
Anonymous $250
Larry Pixley & Robin Ratcliffe $150
In memory of Shawn McMahon, from the Gilbert family $50
Anonymous $50
In memory of my mother, Madeleine Broadhurst, who loved Christmas! Merry Christmas to the children, from Lori $100
Miki & Don $100
Anonymous $100
Total to date $113,882.60
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