The Pelham Good Neighbor Fund has completed 49 years of helping our Neighbors In Need. We were able to provide financial assistance to 25 families and individuals in Pelham throughout the year for rent, heat, electricity, food and other household expenses which amounted to $38,610. This also included three $2500 scholarships to high school seniors who had a financial need and had been accepted to a 2 or 4 year college or technical school. Over the last nineteen years, we have awarded 28 scholarships amounting to $70,000. We also donated to several community organizations. Our fundraisers include: 24th Annual Golf Tournament and 49th Annual Christmas Drive as well as receiving donations from local businesses, organizations, schools, churches, families and individuals. During our Christmas Drive, we coordinated our 29th Annual Sponsor-A-Child Program where 23 residents in town were sponsors and went out and purchased toys and clothing that the children wanted for which we are truly grateful. We would also like to thank the various organizations who helped collect food and cash donations at the Pelham Plaza which included: the American Legion Post 100, The John Hargreaves Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10722, St. Patrick Knights of Columbus Council 6902, the Pelham Firefighters Association, the Pelham Police Relief Association and the Pelham Explorers. The Salem/Derry Elks provided food for 19 families in Pelham and we thank them for their support. Because of all the support and cooperation we got from the community, we were able to provide toys, clothing and food for 24 families and 49 children which we estimated to be over $8500. A special thank you to Karen Genoter who volunteers her time and does an excellent job of taking care of our website and Steve Ziokas who also volunteers his time to file our annual state and federal tax returns. I would like to share with you what we did for 3 of the 25 families we helped in town. An elderly couple got in touch with us because they needed to replace their well pump and water tank and we took care of the bill. We received a call from a single mom who was behind in her rent and electricity so we paid both bills. We helped another couple who got in touch with us looking for help with their mortgage. Her husband was cleaning off the leaves from the gutter when he fell off the ladder and fractured his vertibrae and left leg and we paid their mortgage. We are also fortunate to have Dawn Holdsworth who is the Welfare Administrator in Pelham. Dawn and I have worked together for many years in helping our less fortunate residents. The Pelham Good Neighbor Fund Committee is made up of fifteen volunteers who are dedicated and committed to helping our Neighbors In Need. Your donations and support have allowed us to reach out and help someone in need of financial assistance. The Pelham Good Neighbor Fund is unique because there are not many charitable organizations like us who run their own fundraisers and decide who we are going to provide financial assistance too within the community. We want to thank the entire community because we could not be successful without your financial support. We look forward to being of service to the community in 2019.

It Is In Giving That We Receive

Frank Sullivan
President