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Keep teens in mind for Santa Fund donations

Teens are a concern for Rosemarie Dykeman, social services director for the Salvation Army of Nashua.

The Salvation Army and the Nashua Pastoral Care Center partner with The Telegraph to register families and distribute gifts and food vouchers for the Santa Fund.

“Our greatest need is always teenagers,” Dykeman said.

“I know it’s more fun to buy toys and clothes for babies and younger children, but tweens and teens deserve Christmas gifts, too. Many of these kids work hard in their families, helping their parents care for younger children, doing chores like cleaning and cooking for the family when one or both of their parents are at work.

“But what teens want most is to fit in. But for teens in need that’s even harder. When their friends are going to the mall or the movies or out to Burger King, they can’t participate because they don’t have money. They can feel embarrassed and ashamed.”

That’s why Dykeman and Maryse Wirbal, CEO of the Nashua Pastoral Care Center, said while it may not be as fun to buy a gift card as it is to walk into a toy store, it’s doing the most for a teen in a financially strapped family.

Here is a list of suggested gift cards to donate for tweens and teens, according to Dykeman and Wirbal:

? Movie theaters: Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Nashua; AMC Tyngsboro 12, across from the Pheasant Lane Mall; O’neil Cinemas in Londonderry; and Cinemagic in Merrimack.

? Clothing: Wirbal and Dykeman said clothes are a huge part of how teens fit in and express themselves. They recommend gift cards to places where they can get the most for their money such as Target, Old Navy, Walmart, Kohl’s and Burlington Coat Factory.

“Really, any place that your teen would like to shop is where these teens would like to shop,” Dykeman said.

? Malls: Simon Malls gift cards.

“Teens like to go to the Pheasant Lane Mall with their friends, and having a gift card they can use anywhere makes them feel like they fit in, like they can browse just like their friends,” Dykeman said.

? Games and Electronics: Game Stop, Best Buy and RadioShack.

? Food: Wirbal and Dykeman ask to imagine a teenager is out with friends for the day. Everyone decides to stop for a burger or a cup of hot chocolate at a fast-food restaurant. Teens who have no money have to either pretend they aren’t hungry or ask a friend for money. Again.

That can lead to feelings of shame and not fitting in. So, they suggest picking up gift cards to places such as Burger King, Chipotle Mexican Grill, McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and Chik-fil-A.

Wirbal and Dykeman said for those who still enjoy shopping for teens, they could use stocking stuffers such as cosmetics, hand lotions, hair accessories, shampoo, nail polish, perfume and watches for girls and cologne, toothbrushes, watches and deodorant for boys.

She said nearly every teen would love an iPod Shuffle or other MP3 players. And a lot of parents are requesting gloves, mittens, the popular animal-themed winter hats, twin and full-size sheet sets and comforters.

This year, about 1,150 families with 3,500 children, including hundreds of teens, have registered for help from the Santa Fund.

The fund, which provides toys and assistance to needy families around the holidays, was founded 50 years ago by the publisher of The Telegraph to provide a happy holiday for needy children in the community.

For more information about the Santa Fund, visit www.nashuatelegraph.com/santafund.

Keep teens in mind for Santa Fund donations

Teens are a concern for Rosemarie Dykeman, social services director for the Salvation Army of Nashua.

The Salvation Army and the Nashua Pastoral Care Center partner with The Telegraph to register families and distribute gifts and food vouchers for the Santa Fund.

“Our greatest need is always teenagers,” Dykeman said.

“I know it’s more fun to buy toys and clothes for babies and younger children, but tweens and teens deserve Christmas gifts, too. Many of these kids work hard in their families, helping their parents care for younger children, doing chores like cleaning and cooking for the family when one or both of their parents are at work.

“But what teens want most is to fit in. But for teens in need that’s even harder. When their friends are going to the mall or the movies or out to Burger King, they can’t participate because they don’t have money. They can feel embarrassed and ashamed.”

That’s why Dykeman and Maryse Wirbal, CEO of the Nashua Pastoral Care Center, said while it may not be as fun to buy a gift card as it is to walk into a toy store, it’s doing the most for a teen in a financially strapped family.

Here is a list of suggested gift cards to donate for tweens and teens, according to Dykeman and Wirbal:

Movie theaters: Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Nashua; AMC Tyngsboro 12, across from the Pheasant Lane Mall; O’neil Cinemas in Londonderry; and Cinemagic in Merrimack.

Clothing: Wirbal and Dykeman said clothes are a huge part of how teens fit in and express themselves. They recommend gift cards to places where they can get the most for their money such as Target, Old Navy, Walmart, Kohl’s and Burlington Coat Factory.

“Really, any place that your teen would like to shop is where these teens would like to shop,” Dykeman said.

Malls: Simon Malls gift cards.

“Teens like to go to the Pheasant Lane Mall with their friends, and having a gift card they can use anywhere makes them feel like they fit in, like they can browse just like their friends,” Dykeman said.

Games and Electronics: Game Stop, Best Buy and RadioShack.

Food: Wirbal and Dykeman ask to imagine a teenager is out with friends for the day. Everyone decides to stop for a burger or a cup of hot chocolate at a fast-food restaurant. Teens who have no money have to either pretend they aren’t hungry or ask a friend for money. Again.

That can lead to feelings of shame and not fitting in. So, they suggest picking up gift cards to places such as Burger King, Chipotle Mexican Grill, McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and Chik-fil-A.

Wirbal and Dykeman said for those who still enjoy shopping for teens, they could use stocking stuffers such as cosmetics, hand lotions, hair accessories, shampoo, nail polish, perfume and watches for girls and cologne, toothbrushes, watches and deodorant for boys.

She said nearly every teen would love an iPod Shuffle or other MP3 players. And a lot of parents are requesting gloves, mittens, the popular animal-themed winter hats, twin and full-size sheet sets and comforters.

This year, about 1,150 families with 3,500 children, including hundreds of teens, have registered for help from the Santa Fund.

The fund, which provides toys and assistance to needy families around the holidays, was founded 50 years ago by the publisher of The Telegraph to provide a happy holiday for needy children in the community.

For more information about the Santa Fund, visit www.nashuatelegraph.com/santafund.

Keep teens in mind for Santa Fund donations

Teens are a concern for Rosemarie Dykeman, social services director for the Salvation Army of Nashua.

The Salvation Army and the Nashua Pastoral Care Center partner with The Telegraph to register families and distribute gifts and food vouchers for the Santa Fund.

“Our greatest need is always teenagers,” Dykeman said.

“I know it’s more fun to buy toys and clothes for babies and younger children, but tweens and teens deserve Christmas gifts, too. Many of these kids work hard in their families, helping their parents care for younger children, doing chores like cleaning and cooking for the family when one or both of their parents are at work.

“But what teens want most is to fit in. But for teens in need that’s even harder. When their friends are going to the mall or the movies or out to Burger King, they can’t participate because they don’t have money. They can feel embarrassed and ashamed.”

That’s why Dykeman and Maryse Wirbal, CEO of the Nashua Pastoral Care Center, said while it may not be as fun to buy a gift card as it is to walk into a toy store, it’s doing the most for a teen in a financially strapped family.

Here is a list of suggested gift cards to donate for tweens and teens, according to Dykeman and Wirbal:

Movie theaters: Chunky’s Cinema Pub in Nashua; AMC Tyngsboro 12, across from the Pheasant Lane Mall; O’neil Cinemas in Londonderry; and Cinemagic in Merrimack.

Clothing: Wirbal and Dykeman said clothes are a huge part of how teens fit in and express themselves. They recommend gift cards to places where they can get the most for their money such as Target, Old Navy, Walmart, Kohl’s and Burlington Coat Factory.

“Really, any place that your teen would like to shop is where these teens would like to shop,” Dykeman said.

Malls: Simon Malls gift cards.

“Teens like to go to the Pheasant Lane Mall with their friends, and having a gift card they can use anywhere makes them feel like they fit in, like they can browse just like their friends,” Dykeman said.

Games and Electronics: Game Stop, Best Buy and RadioShack.

Food: Wirbal and Dykeman ask to imagine a teenager is out with friends for the day. Everyone decides to stop for a burger or a cup of hot chocolate at a fast-food restaurant. Teens who have no money have to either pretend they aren’t hungry or ask a friend for money. Again.

That can lead to feelings of shame and not fitting in. So, they suggest picking up gift cards to places such as Burger King, Chipotle Mexican Grill, McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts and Chik-fil-A.

Wirbal and Dykeman said for those who still enjoy shopping for teens, they could use stocking stuffers such as cosmetics, hand lotions, hair accessories, shampoo, nail polish, perfume and watches for girls and cologne, toothbrushes, watches and deodorant for boys.

She said nearly every teen would love an iPod Shuffle or other MP3 players. And a lot of parents are requesting gloves, mittens, the popular animal-themed winter hats, twin and full-size sheet sets and comforters.

This year, about 1,150 families with 3,500 children, including hundreds of teens, have registered for help from the Santa Fund.

The fund, which provides toys and assistance to needy families around the holidays, was founded 50 years ago by the publisher of The Telegraph to provide a happy holiday for needy children in the community.

For more information about the Santa Fund, visit www.nashuatelegraph.com/santafund.