By Anne Levin

Between the effects of the pandemic and ongoing economic challenges, the need for donations as the winter holidays approach is greater than usual. Several Princeton-based campaigns are currently underway, asking members of the public to help those who need help with food, clothing, holiday gifts for children, household essentials, and more.

“We always have families in need in our community,” said Rhodalynn Jones, Princeton’s Human Services director. “This year, I think because of the impact of the pandemic, there is a lot.”

For the past 24 years. Human Services has run a Holiday Gift Drive for needy Princeton children. Donors have until November 18 to sponsor a child’s wish list by purchasing one or two gifts, not exceeding $75 in total, for children up to age 12.

This year, Human Services is asking people to also consider donating a gift card to help the families who have been impacted by the pandemic and related issues. “The wish list items are for the children,” said Jones. “But because of the aftermath of the pandemic, we also ask if donors would be interested in helping the families, most often by donating a gift card in whatever amount they are able to give.”

Children don’t always limit their wish lists to action figures and other toys. “Sometimes they ask for winter wear — clothes, sneakers,” said Jones. “We’ve gotten requests for bedding. They need a lot of essential items. But that is not to say we don’t see a lot of requests for toys, books, and records as well.”

The Human Services department has an outreach coordinator who goes to food pantries and other sites to distribute flyers with information about the gift drive. “We also work with other charities, and the schools, to get the information out there,” said Jones. “We try to be creative about it.”

Visit princetonnj.gov/753/Holiday-Gift-Drive for more information.

Friday, November 4 is the last day to donate to Princeton Public Schools’ Winter Coat and Clothing Drive, with distribution set for the following day. Gently used children’s, men’s, and women’s clothing — coats, shoes, boots, bedding, blankets, hats, gloves, mittens, and more — can be dropped off in bags, separated and labeled by category, at any of the public schools. Volunteers are needed to help with the sorting process. The clothing will be distributed on Saturday, November 5 from 7:30-10:30 a.m. at Community Park Elementary School.

The Princeton YMCA is offering several opportunities to be charitable during the next several weeks. In honor of the Diwali Festival of Lights observance, non-perishable foods are being collected through November 10 to donate to local shelters. Canned fruits, soups, and vegetables; boxes of cereal, coffee, and tea; cookies and crackers; pasta and pasta sauce; peanut butter; rice; and sugar can be left in the lobby area at 59 Paul Robeson Place.

A box next to the Diwali collection site is for donations of travel-sized hygiene items to support troops deployed across the world. Beginning in December, the YMCA will install a “giving tree” in the lobby, hung with little mitten ornaments bearing the names children and the gifts they would like to receive. Visit princetonymca.org for more information.

Donations of a different sort are needed by the American Red Cross. The Central New Jersey Blood Donation Center at 707 Alexander Road, Princeton University’s Frist Campus Center, Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro, and Beth El Synagogue in East Windsor are among the sites where blood and platelets are being collected to keep supplies from dropping ahead of the holidays. Type O blood is especially needed. Visit Redcrossblood.org for more information.