On Saturday, we kicked off our annual Santa’s Helper Fund drive in support of The Salvation Army’s efforts to help families in need around the holidays.

Based in Bangor, The Salvation Army provides much-needed assistance in the form of food, clothing and toys for children in a wide region of Maine. Money collected through Santa’s Helper goes directly back to the areas where the donations have come from in the form of support and comfort during the holiday season.

This holiday season is expected to be especially difficult for many families in our neighborhoods and across the region served by The Salvation Army.

Because of the high cost of fuel oil, and other economic circumstances beyond their control, many families will face extreme hardship this winter, and a Christmas holiday may be out of the picture for them without the generous help of others.

Your contribution to the Santa’s Helper Fund, no matter how large or small, will make a huge difference in the lives of children and families in this region.

Consider adding a donation to this important fundraising effort to your Christmas list. You may never know the exact impact of your gift, but you can rest assured it makes a positive one.

All Santa’s Helper money is deposited in a special account as it is collected, and a check for the full amount will be presented to The Salvation Army at the end of the collection period.

This means The Salvation Army can concentrate on the important business of processing applications and preparing Christmas boxes for needy families.

Donations may be sent to Santa’s Helper Fund, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402-1329. Donors’ names and dollar amounts will be published in the Santa’s Helper column daily.

Donors who prefer to remain anonymous will be listed as such, followed by donation amounts. Anyone with questions about the Santa’s Helper Fund may call The Salvation Army at 941-2990.