**Important Update: Two very generous anonymous donors have agreed to match any donation made through December 31st, up to $50,000! Give now to double your impact!**

Cherished friends and supporters,

Thomas was always the first in line for lunch at our Free Summer Meals program this past July and August. A bright and resilient young boy, he has a smile that would melt your heart.

But behind that smile is hunger. Thomas doesn’t get enough to eat.

Picture for a moment, what it means to go through each day with the uncertainty of where your next meal will come from.

Mondays are the hungriest days of the week, year-round. The lunch he receives at school or through our Free Summer Meals program is often the first full meal he’ll have since lunch on Friday. I’ll tell you more in a minute, but I want to get straight to the point.

I hope you can join me in fighting against hunger and homelessness in our community and make a difference for kids like Thomas.

Today, you have an amazing opportunity to help turn things around. By giving now, your donation will go a long way to ensuring every hungry or homeless child or family in our community has the support they need.

Just $35 can provide emergency food and hygiene products for a family of four.

You can give today by donating online through our secure website.

It’s been a tough time for Thomas’s family. They were never well-off, but they got by... until these past couple of years.

Thomas's father, a night-shift worker, cares for him during the day. His mother is a full-time employee dedicated to helping children with behavioral challenges at one of our local schools. She supplements their income by working as a cleaner on weekends. Both are grateful for the work, but it just isn’t enough. 

I don’t think any of us are surprised to learn how many families don’t have enough food to eat right now or are struggling with housing and energy costs. Throughout Saratoga, Fulton, and Montgomery Counties, more than one third of households - 50,000 families - are struggling to make ends meet.

That’s why I’m calling on you to join me in taking a stand against hunger and homelessness right here in our community. 

Will you be a hero and donate now to make the most of your gift this holiday season?

Give through our secure website by clicking here.

The challenges Thomas’s family faces do not end with food insecurity. In the harsh winters, they often face the biting cold without enough heating oil. During a particularly freezing night last year, their pipes burst, leaving them not only with the loss of warmth and water, but with an insurmountable bill to address the water damage.

You can envision how it feels to live this way: “I get up worried. I go to bed worried,” Thomas’s mother says. “And in the winter, it’s so cold. There’s nothing left to pay for oil.”

It hits kids and seniors particularly hard.

About 70% of the households facing financial crisis have kids and about half of senior households are one expense away from financial ruin.

Today, you have the power to keep families whole through this crisis. Your donation will make sure when there’s nothing left in the cupboard, CAPTAIN CHS will be there for kids, families, and seniors with an emergency supply of food and hygiene products. 

And your donation won’t stop there.

Your donation will support programs to sure up emergency and permanent housing for families. It will provide parents and adults with classes and dedicated mentors to develop self-sufficiency skills and build resources for a brighter future. And it’ll do even more through our over thirty programs and services.

You can give through our secure online donation page.

When asked what he wants for the holidays, Thomas says, “I wish we could never worry about food or being cold and spend more time together as a family.”

I wish that too. But what you and I can do is give them a little more hope by meeting their urgent need for food and other essentials.

The heart-wrenching reality is Thomas’s parents, working tirelessly to make ends meet, only qualify for minimal benefits. Their dedication is admirable, yet they struggle daily to afford nutritious meals and adequate housing for their family.

Life all around has gotten more expensive. While inflation has cooled somewhat, the high cost of living in our community continues to increase. Rent, food, insurance, medical expenses, gas, and education are all more costly than they were just a few years ago – putting a serious strain on local families.

This is where your philanthropy becomes a beacon of hope and change.

Your generous contribution can rewrite the narrative for Thomas and countless other families in our community facing similar trials. It can bridge the gap - providing much-needed resources, including nutritious meals and heating during winter, thereby alleviating their struggles, and giving them a chance at a better life.

Please, make the most of your impact this year to help families in need today. Donate now!

Give by December 31st to make the most of your gift this year into next.

As the holidays approach, Thomas’s mother reached out. Because of kind donors like you, their family will have a holiday meal together this year through the Thanksgiving Basket program.

Yet, for many of our neighbors, there will be few moments of joy this holiday season.

It’s something we don’t want to believe. Basic amenities like a working oven or a microwave are absent for many of those that come to our doors - painting a picture of tremendous daily trials and tribulations. Imagine having no means to prepare a hot meal for your loved ones, or a safe and comfortable home to provide for your children.

I know this isn’t what you hope for our hard-working local families. You’re a charitable person who believes in the power of community.

Your generosity makes a difference for local families and kids in need. Right now. 

Give today by clicking here.

Thomas’s parents are smart consumers. They comparison shop for all their groceries and toiletries, and they have no unnecessary expenses. Both often forego their own health and well-being to ensure Thomas has the food, school supplies, and the healthcare he needs.

Their story is not unique. Every day, so many of the families at our doors have similar experiences: hard-working parents heartbroken by the challenges they face providing something as simple and basic as food for their kids.

Today, you can make the difference these kids need. Your generous heart has an opportunity to turn the tide for so many.

Please send your donation before the end of the year to make the most of your gift for families like Thomas’s.

You can give online through our secure site.

Your support can bring warmth, sustenance, and hope to families who need it most. It can light the way for a brighter future. With your kindness, we can continue our mission of providing crucial help to those in need, guiding them toward stability and self-sufficiency.

I deeply appreciate your previous support and your consideration today for our local kids, families, and seniors. Every dollar you contribute brings us closer to making a lasting impact on the lives of children like Thomas and their families.

Together, we can lift people up and build a brighter, more prosperous future for all.

Thank you for being a hero in the lives of those we serve.

With warm regards,

Andy Gilpin
Executive Director

P.S. Please give by December 31, 2023, to make the most of your gift and put your kindness to work immediately.

P.P.S. You can also make your gift over the phone by calling 518-399-4624.