The volunteers of the Lakes Region Santa Fund and Santa Claus have something in common – they both work to give back to children around the holiday season. But the Santa Fund goes above and beyond what the name would suggest.
The Santa Fund is made up of a 12-person all-volunteer board that serves half a dozen communities in the Lakes Region. They provide approximately 500-700 new coats to children in need ages 18 and younger during their distribution events in the winter. They also provide new high-quality boots, snow pants, hats, gloves and socks to grade school children.
The nonprofit’s ability to assist children by offering free outerwear allows families facing economic challenges to better focus their attention on other essential needs.
Elizabeth Brothers, who works as a MVSB Mortgage Loan Officer, NMLS# 69282, dedicates a significant amount of her time as a Santa Fund board member and volunteer, and has been an integral part of the organization since 2015. She said the work is not finished when the coats are distributed near the end of the year.
“The passionate volunteers of the Santa Fund spend a lot of time in the first few months of the year purchasing hundreds of coats and boots that are discounted as we transition into the warmer seasons, which we organize and store at our location in Gilford,” said Elizabeth. “We also provide year-round assistance to families in need for everything from summer camp tuitions and enrichment activities to sports programs and emergency aid – which can include a house fire, unexpected death or other devastating circumstances.”
Elizabeth recalled many tragic stories where the volunteers of the Santa Fund sprang into action. Most recently, she described being contacted to see if they could provide aid to a working family going through a rough time medically and financially.
“This one particular family with young children was just receiving bits of bad news one after another that changed their life significantly,” said Elizabeth. “In an effort to provide support quickly, we offered them gift cards for food and gas, and we are currently working to help them with a deposit to secure housing as they face homelessness.”
The Santa Fund has also supported students who may need financial assistance, such as a young girl who had been fundraising on her own for an opportunity to go to a medical program or a senior who has faced many changes in school but wanted to pursue an education in welding.
“It was a wonderful feeling that this young man was able to benefit from one of our scholarships,” said Elizabeth. “Helping these students be successful in their education brings everyone on the board so much joy.”
Elizabeth said that the Lakes Region Santa Fund is grateful for the funds provided by the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction and the other organizations who help support their efforts.
“We do apply for additional grants, which includes Heart and Hands Thrift Shop, Speedway Children’s Charities and from community banks,” said Elizabeth. “We are always looking for ways to get creative with additional fundraising and also get the word out about what we do. Each one of the Santa Fund volunteers know what it means to go through tough times and receive support, so it is wonderful to be able to give back to those who may need a lift.”
Elizabeth was recently featured in the Laconia Daily Sun special section “The Sunshine Effect,” which highlighted her personal history and journey to being a part of the Santa Fund. Click here to read the story.
Elizabeth joined MVSB in 2020 as Mortgage Sales Support Manager, where she supported the mortgage origination teams. In 2022, she was promoted to Mortgage Loan Officer.
Elizabeth is a graduate of the Leadership Lakes Region Class of 2023. She grew up in Laconia and graduated from the Granite State College with an Associate of Business Science. She also attended Northern New England School of Banking. In 2019, she received the Debra Bieniarz Memorial Award in recognition of her tremendous service to young people in the Lakes Region.
Go to santafund.weebly.com or follow The Santa Fund on Facebook to learn more. Visit mvsb.com/originator/elizabeth-brothers to learn more about Elizabeth.