Give Back this Holiday Season with Local Community Drives

East Lynne Theater Company Helps the Food Closet
The Equity professional, award-winning East Lynne Theater Company is accepting items for the Food Closet during the run of its holiday show, “O. Henry’s Christmas Tales.” What is needed most are cereal, soup, bar soap, tuna, peanut butter and dry spaghetti. Bring these items to ELTC’s final performances, Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 6-8 at 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Dec. 8. Location is the First Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes St., Cape May. For monetary donations, makes checks payable to The Community Food Closet of Cape May.

Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery Giving Vine Campaign
This holiday season, sip for a cause at Hawk Haven Winery during the Giving Vine campaign now through Dec. 10. During this time, Hawk Haven will be collecting unwrapped toys and new outerwear for children. For every unwrapped present brought in, they will give a complimentary Classic Wine Tasting card to use that day or at a later date. Hawk Haven will also be donating trees during the campaign. As you walk down the path to the front doors of Hawk Haven, look to either side and you will see Christmas trees lining the path. For every tree that is purchased, Hawk Haven will donate a tree to families who otherwise might not be able to afford one for their home. All unwrapped gifts and trees will be donated to the families in need through Cape Assist. For more information, call (609) 846-7347.

Family Promise of Cape May County Holiday Gift Drive
The Rio Grande branch of the Jersey Shore Federal Credit Union is collecting gifts for their Starfish Angel Tree to benefit Family Promise of Cape May County’s Christmas Party to help make Children’s Christmas wishes come true! Stop by the credit union at 3317 Rt. 9 S. in Rio Grande and select a starfish tag from the tree in the lobby. Unwrapped gifts should be returned to the credit union’s lobby and placed under the tree with the tag attached by Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018. Gift bags are welcome. For more information, call (609) 382-4356.

Cape May Stage Toys for Tots Collection
Cape May Stage is pleased to announce that they will be collecting toys for the upcoming holiday season and donating them to the Toys for Tots campaign. There is a drop-off box in Cape May Stage’s lobby located next to the Christmas tree. Please bring in an unwrapped gift now through Dec. 14 to bring some joy to a girl or a boy this holiday season. For more information, call (609) 770-8311.

Backfin Bar & Grill’s Christmas Giving Tree
Backfin Bar & Grill, 517 W. Rio Grande Ave., Wildwood, is asking for your help in hosting families in our community this Christmas. Through Saturday, Dec. 15, stop into Backfin and choose a gift tag(s) from the Giving Tree which will tell you what a family/child is wishing for this Christmas. Kindly wrap your gift(s), tape the gift tag on the gift and drop it off to Backfin no later than Sunday, Dec.  16. For more information, call (609) 854-4070.

The Merion Inn’s Christmas Day Benefit for the Homeless
The Merion Inn, 106 Decatur St. at Columbia Avenue, Cape May, will host a Christmas Day Benefit for the Homeless from 2:30 to 7 p.m. in which 100% of the proceeds (not just profits) will be donated to the Emergency Fund for the Homeless through the auspices of A Voice for the Homeless and The Branches Episcopalian Outreach Center. Cost is $65 per person for a prix fixe menu. For reservations, call (609) 884-8363 or visit www.merioninn.com.