Newspaper collects $40,000 for needy families

A program designed to raise money to buy food and gifts to needy families in the Pottstown area raised more than $40,000 this year.

"Operation Holiday" is sponsored each year by The Mercury, which collects the money, purchases the food and gift cards for the families, packages everything and delivers the much-needed assistance in time for Christmas every year.

Newspaper staff volunteer their time so there is no administrative cost: Every dollar raised by "Operation Holiday" goes directly to needy families.

While there was concern that this would be a tough year for fundraising because of the lingering recession, readers of The Mercury came through again with their generous donations.

Read more about the project at the newspaper's Web site.

Check out a video of the packing of the food for 200 families here.