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December 2024
NEEDHAM COMMUNITY COUNCIL NEWS
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Bring a smile to your neighbors this season.
Holiday Hearts provides gift cards to our Food Pantry customers to purchase gifts for their loved ones.
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The Holiday Hearts program will reach approximately 759 income-eligible Needham residents, 207 of whom are children under the age of 18.
No matter how they celebrate, our goal is to bring a smile to all our neighbors this holiday season.
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Giving TuesYAY!
Thank you to all our neighbors that supported us during Giving Tuesday!
We exceeded our goal of raising $10,000, securing our Board Match! Thanks to you, we doubled our impact! We are thankful for all our neighbors who supported us last Tuesday as well as throughout the year! It takes a neighborhood!
With Gratitude,
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Welcome Leigh McCloskey
Please welcome Leigh McCloskey to the Needham Community Council Board of Directors. Leigh, his wife and two young children have lived in Needham since 2019. Leigh graduated from Boston University with an MBA in Finance and was a dual Business and Environmental Studies major at Franklin and Marshall College. He works as a wealth management advisor at The Bulfinch Group and previously spent over a decade helping run his family’s small business in Haverhill, MA. Welcome, Leigh!
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Welcome Stacie Shapiro
The Council is pleased to welcome Stacie to our team. Stacie is no stranger to the Council, volunteering her time at the Council Thrift. We are pleased that in addition to volunteering, Stacie is bringing her talents to the Development office. Her skills, positivity and compassion will be invaluable in supporting our mission! Welcome, Stacie.
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Christmas Dinners
With help from Temple Beth Shalom and Project Ezra, we have Christmas dinners available for delivery on Wednesday, December 25th. Please call the office at (781) 444-2415 to reserve your dinner for 1-2 people. Please order by Wednesday, December 18th.
We have a limited number of dinners available - please call early to make a reservation.
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Community Partnerships
Our Needham neighbors have been generous in so many ways this holiday season. We want to say a special thank you to the Rotary Club for their generous donation which helped pay for the prepared holiday meals that were delivered to our Needham neighbors. We are also very grateful to the Needham Golf Club, which prepared all the meals that were hand-delivered by 40 volunteers to 333 Needham residents the day before Thanksgiving. It was a true team effort, and we could not have done it without our community partners and volunteers. Thank you, Needham!
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English Language Learning | | |
Everyday Conversation
The Everyday English conversation group has been meeting on Thursday evenings, and learners have been building their everyday vocabulary through games and conversation.
This group is enthusiastically led by volunteer tutor, Reem Papageorgiou:
“We have had a lot of fun learning how to navigate everyday experiences like shopping, going to the doctor, and getting to know each other. We have also enjoyed celebrating the fall holidays together! "
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Meet Lizy, ELL Learner, enjoying celebrating the fall holidays in the the Everyday English conversation group! | | |
Citizenship
Charnay Kirsch has been a volunteer tutor for Citizenship at the Council for 5 years. This fall her group has been meeting on Tuesday evenings to prepare for their exams. Charnay: “It’s exciting to be able to help this group of diverse, motivated, and fascinating students learn about our country and become knowledgeable citizens.“
Congratulations to Ivan Lukashchuk who passed his Citizenship this past November.
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Technical Assistance
Here is the schedule for onsite technical assistance at the Needham Housing Authority sites and the Council on Aging (COA).
If you can’t attend a session at the COA or Needham Housing Authority, please contact Karen Zarrow, Tablets & Tutors Program Manager, to schedule a 20-minute one-on-one help session at the Council at 781-444-2415 x2020 or email Karen at kzarrow@needhamcouncil.org.
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Technology Lectures & Support
Teens from the Needham High School technology clubs offer technology lectures and technology support sessions twice a month.
The lectures have been very well received. One attendee commented, “I don’t know why more people don’t attend, these lectures are great!” Come check them out and learn about technology!
Next Lecture:
Technology and Healthcare
Learn about how technology is being used in today’s healthcare settings.
Wednesday, December 18th, 3:15pm-4:15pm at the CATH, 300 Hillside Avenue, Room 211.
Next Support Session:
Saturday, December 21st, 10:00am-12:00pm at the Needham Public Library, Study Room 1.
More information can be found on our website.
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A Holiday Boutique Thank You!
Thank you for your generous donations and for shopping with us! As of today, we raised over $10,200 in our annual Holiday Boutique.
We are so fortunate to have such wonderful donors and customers. All proceeds from the Council Thrift directly support the Needham Community Council programs. Thank you!
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12 Days of Thrift-mas Facebook Auctions
Going once, going twice… SOLD! Starting on Dec. 6, the Council will be posting some of our “Top Shelf” items on the Council Thrift Facebook group page leading up to the holidays. Pictures, information about the item, and a deadline will be posted each day. Bids can be entered in the Comments Section and the highest bid entered by the deadline wins! Not a member of the Council Thrift Facebook Group? Use the QR code (to the right) or button below.
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Last Dash, 20% Off Sale
December 20th & 21st
Calling all last-minute shoppers! Are you swimming in gift lists? Don’t go adrift – come to Council Thrift! We will have a 2-day sale to help you get those last minute ✅s on your list. Get it done and save money at the same time.
Shop! Save! Support! All proceeds fund the Council's programs.
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Hours and Important Dates | | |
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Please plan accordingly and take note of the Council hours during December.
Food Pantry Hours: The Food Pantry will be closed Tuesday, December 24th - Friday, January 3rd. We will reopen on Saturday, January 4th.
The Council Office Hours: The Council offices will close on Tuesday, December 24th at noon, and will reopen on Friday, December 27th. We will then close at noon on Tuesday, December 31st and reopen on Thursday, Jan 2nd.
The Council Thrift & Donation Drop-Off Hours: The Thrift Store and Donation Drop will close on Tuesday, December 24th, and will reopen on Thursday. January 2nd.
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Council Thrift & Donation Hours
Monday 10 am - 4 pm
Tuesday & Thursday 10 am - 6 pm
Friday 10 am - 4 pm
Saturday 10 am - 2 pm
Closed Wednesday
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Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:30 am - 4 pm
Closed Saturday & Sunday
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Needham Community Council
570 Hillside Avenue
Needham, MA 02494
781-444-2415
office@needhamcouncil.org
Connect with us
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The Needham Community Council is a private 501(C)3 non-profit organization which supports people in Needham who have under-met health, educational or social needs, and promotes volunteerism, community and a sense of shared responsibility. | | | | |
