Following grandmother's example, Katie Pierson leads distribution of outerwear, other support through Lakes Region Santa Fund

For more than 50 years, the Lakes Region Santa Fund has been helping local children and families in a variety of ways, and Chair Katie Pierson said this year, the need is as great as ever.

The Santa Fund's mission is to support children in need, and while outerwear tends to be the focus of the fall and winter months, the nonprofit organization also helps provide scholarships for camps and classes, as well as emergency funding for families facing crisis situations.

“We have served about 540 kids so far this year, and we still have some trickling orders coming in, which is common,” Pierson said.

The Lakes Region Santa Fund has a 12-member board that works to help the area’s youth. Pierson said the busy season starts in the fall, when the distribution of outerwear begins, and the organization works with school nurses, counselors, and other nonprofits to make sure nobody slips through the cracks.

“We don’t just stop because Christmas and the cold season is over,” Pierson said. “This is an all-year effort.”

The board members meet once a week at the end of October and through November, and go over the names of the children in need of their help. The Santa Fund helps children in 20 schools throughout six school districts, and normally, they assist between 500 and 600 people. Pierson said this equates to about 275 families across the Lakes Region.

“Our scheduled distribution is only about four weeks, but we will fill orders any time on an as-needed basis,” Pierson said. “Unless it is an emergency, distribution of outerwear is usually over in January. Then, we start looking for clearance items, to make our money go as far as possible.”

Board members shop around for sales in the area in February, preparing for the next season. But between seasons, assistance doesn’t stop, and instead the gears shift to other ways to help.

“We will start doing scholarships, and maybe there will be money for someone to take a class at a community college,” she said. “Or flute lessons, and they need money for an instrument, or maybe money for books for a college program.”

The Santa Fund helps with vouchers for emergency funding, for things like groceries and even gas money, if someone had a child being treated in a faraway hospital, for example.

“We are fortunate to get donations and are able to go the extra mile, and not just for outerwear,” Pierson said.

Years back, the Santa Fund worked out of the basement of the Foley Oil building. In the pre-COVID years, families would come to them to pick up outerwear, but now, items are delivered to schools.

The organization now operates out of the Belknap County Sportsmen’s Club in Gilford, where they have the outerwear hung up and ready to go.

“This way has kept us much more organized,” Pierson said. “There was one year we had a line down Garfield Street. It’s much easier to do the three-day process, rather than everyone coming to us.”

During peak distribution time, the Santa Fund receives forms by emails from school staff about students who need help. On Mondays, they gather the information, Tuesday the orders are filled, and then deliveries are made on Wednesdays.

Pierson said new winter jackets are provided for children of all ages, and they also distribute snowpants and winter boots for elementary school students to use for recess.

Pierson said the Santa Fund is fortunate school staff see its value, and are willing and ready to work with them on filling needs. She said social workers and counselors are vital, and they couldn’t do it without them.

“We are very grateful for the help of the schools."

The Santa Fund receives most of its funding from the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction, and Pierson said they will have board members and volunteers answering phones for the Tuesday, Dec. 9, start of the annual fundraising event.

“They have been giving to us forever, so we couldn’t do this without them, for sure,” Pierson said. “We try to give back whenever we can for them. They’re a great resource for our community and not just for us. They help so many kids in need.”

The Santa Fund originated as a toy drive under the name “Citizen Santa Fund.” Pierson remembers helping her grandmother Louise Killourhy as a child, when her grandmother ran the program in the mid-1970s.

Pierson left the area for some time, and 12 years ago she returned to find the Santa Fund was still around, and had evolved. She said everything has come full circle.

“When I moved back, I heard the Santa Fund was still an active program,” she said. “So, I thought, 'You know what? I’ll give a donation,' and I included a booklet about my history with the fund.”

The next thing Pierson knew, she was offered a position on the board of directors, and became the co-chair two years in. For the past four years she has served as the sole chair, and said it is so rewarding to be a source of assistance for those who are struggling financially.

Now retired, Pierson said she has much more time to put in to help those in need. It’s a busy time of year for everyone, and she admits she can get frustrated or tired, but at the end of the day, helping these children and families means the world to her.

“This whole board, as you can imagine, they are all givers,” she said. “To be in that atmosphere of people is just amazing.”

Pierson said they are still receiving applications, noting one was filled just this week. The Santa Fund also just helped a family in Meredith affected by a fire, to make sure they all had warm clothing.

“When there is a need, we will be there to fill it,” Pierson said.

The Lakes Region Santa Fund can be reached at 603-524-3111, or at santafund.weebly.com.