Each December, a familiar burst of festive spirit returns to Erie County as the Times Old Newsies embark on their annual holiday fundraiser.
Known publicly as the Times Old Newsies, the organization operates as the Times Needy Fund, an independent nonprofit founded in 1939 to support residents facing food insecurity. Its mission has remained unchanged for 86 years: mobilize local citizens to help feed their neighbors in need.
This year’s annual Collection Day on December 5 once again brought volunteers throughout Erie, where Newsies stood on corners and in gathering places to raise funds for holiday meals and essential food programs.
Donations collected support Christmas dinners for U.S. veterans and their families, thousands of meals at Emmaus Soup Kitchen, Kiwani’s Caring Kitchen, and provide assistance across numerous other local food pantries. The group aims to raise $55,000 this season and continues to accept contributions online following Collection Day.
“The Times-News has been proud to team up with the Old Newsies since 1939 to help our neighbors,” said Matt Martin, executive editor. “And the fact that Erie County residents have donated more than $2 million in that time is evidence of just how hard the Old Newsies work at it, and how much people here care for each other.”
The Newsies’ enduring tradition of volunteerism reflects the power of local journalism and community engagement working in tandem. As the organization looks to the future, it is actively inviting new members, age 25 and older, to ensure the continuity of this longstanding public service.
Donations can be made at the Times Old Newsies online campaign page, where every contribution brings the group closer to meeting its annual goal and supporting vulnerable families across Erie County.