Vermont Business MagazineANEW Place has announced that the 22nd Annual Helping Hands Gift Wrap Fundraiser, sponsored by North Country Federal Credit Union at the University Mall, was a rousing success.The Helping Hands Gift Wrap Booth was open every day from December 4th through December 24th during mall hours with wonderful volunteers ready to wrap Christmas presents for the community. More than 150 volunteers joined together for this Christmas tradition to work shifts at the booth and many volunteers generously worked multiple shifts.This fundraiser raised $12,500, all to benefit ANEW Place!This was a spirited community-wide effort that raised funds allowing for new beginnings for the homeless men and women in Vermont.
ANEW Place would like to thank Vickie DeGraaf and her family for voluntarily and diligently heading up this event as well as North Country Federal Credit Union whose sponsorship made the event possible and the University Mall for providing the booth space. ANEW Place would also like to thank all of the various media outlets who aired stories on the event and shared about the community collaboration. Lastly, ANEW Place would like to thank all of the faithful and generous volunteers on which this event hinged and the members of the Burlington community and beyond who gave generously as their gifts were being beautifully wrapped.
ANEW Place, formerly Burlington Emergency Shelter, creates long-term solutions for homeless adults to start ANEW. The goal of their programming is to foster lifelong change, so that each person can make a successful, sustainable transition toward wellness and independence. They aim to see lives changed and to see an end to the cycle of homelessness in which so many adults find themselves trapped. Funded entirely by community donations, proceeds from events like this one are invaluable to ANEW Place!
