Middletown Helps Its Own Plays Santa

Like Santa's elves, volunteers gathered at the VFW Post 2179, in the Port Monmouth section of on Friday morning to begin the work of making sure that a merry Christmas comes to all, despite difficult financial times. 

Middletown Helps Its Own (MHIO), an umbrella service organization that was created in 1964 by a group of thirteen community and civic organizations, including the local Rotary and the Jaycees, organizes gift baskets for families in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

"We try to make it a merrier, happier Christmas for those who don't have it like we had it," said Middletown Helps Its Own (MHIO) President, Don Skrivanek, of Port Monmouth. "When we first started in 1964 we distributed around 50 gift baskets. This year we're up to 275. The need has definitely grown because of the recession." 

Volunteers were at the VFW early on Friday, Dec.16, to begin unloading and organizing food donations and food purchased at reduce cost from local grocers including Foodtown. MHIO strictly offers sustenance to families for Thanksgiving. But for Christmas a big part of their work is collecting, organizing and distributing toys as well. 

The final Christmas push for MHIO is tonight, Friday night, when hundreds of volunteers, of all ages, gathered to assemble the 275 baskets.

Barbara Skrivanek, the first lady of MHIO, Mrs. Claus, if you will, said the evening's work is laborious, but also totally rewarding and fun. "We all have a great time," she said. "Everyone really enjoys themselves and the work is so worthwhile."

Middletown Helps It's Own, is always on the look out for more volunteers and for donations. People interested in the work they do can find out more, at MHIO's website at http://www.middletownhelpsitsown.com/index.html.