The Giving Season

This holiday season Juniper Village at Brookline residents and associates were busy spreading cheer throughout the State College community. All JVB communities were official Toys for Tots collections sites, helping to collect three large boxes of toys this year for more than 3,000 less fortunate Centre County children. Since 1987, The Nittany Leathernecks Detachment, a community service organization composed of active, retired and former Marines, has headed the Toys for Tots mission in Centre County—considered one of the area’s premier charity events. The Centre County Toys for Tots campaign accommodates all religious protocols—in concert with economic eligibility—for Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, and Kwanza during the December-January holiday seasons.

But that’s not all! Additionally, nearly 1,000 pounds of food and more than $200 in donations were collected for the State College Food Bank this year. Large grocery carts donated by Weis Market on South Atherton Street in State College (as well as $25 worth of groceries) were placed in three main lobbies at JVB, where they were quickly filled to the brim. Carol Pioli, executive director of the food bank—which serves over 300 area households per month—said that “offering a simple ‘thank you’ doesn’t feel enough, because [Juniper Village at Brookline is] helping to provide a basic need to those that are less fortunate.”

With monetary totals not yet in, JVB was one of 10 State College area businesses that teamed up for the “We Are The Kettles” Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign. Local companies and organizations spend a day ringing that famous bell around State College, and Red Kettles are decked with company logos, while associates bundle up for a good cause. This year, 10 JVB associates volunteered their time to the campaign. We even had one very special volunteer who commuted all the way from the North Pole!