FARGO — A local volunteer-led nonprofit designed to help provide basic necessities to families in need will more than double its impact in just its second year.
Shortly after forming in 2017, The Great North Pole gave household items, food and clothing to 286 families during the Christmas season. According to organizers, this year's number will rise to more than 600 families in Fargo, West Fargo and Moorhead.
“To double it up is awesome!” says co-founder Nick Killoran. “It brings some crazy anxiety working out the details, but all in all we’ll look back and see so many lives impacted.”
Killoran says each family, found through seven schools in the area, will receive 100 new items, including shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent, canned goods and more. He says by giving families these basic necessities, it frees them up to use the money they have to pay bills or even give that one special Christmas gift to their child.
Some of the goods have been donated, while others were purchased at cost from vendors. Killoran says because of the generosity of companies, The Great North Pole can buy $700 worth of products for just $100 dollars and turn around and give those to people who need them.
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“We really appreciate everyone who is coming out for this — not only the for-profit businesses who are getting us in touch with these vendors, but also all of the volunteers,” Killoran says.
Approximately 1,000 volunteers are packing supplies at the Bergseth Bros. Co. warehouse in north Fargo from Monday, Dec. 3, until Thursday morning, Dec. 6. Deliveries to families will start Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 4, and volunteers are still needed to take delivery shifts.
For more information about volunteering or donating, go to The Great North Pole's website at www.greatnorthpole.org .
