It Takes a Valley
During the first 19 days of December, participating businesses donate a percentage of sales to directly support the Upper Valley Haven.
19 Days of Norwich, Hanover, White River Junction, Lebanon, Lyme, and beyond!
Your Dollars Going Back to Your Community
19 Days of the Valley is a holiday season fundraising initiative that shows how “keeping it local” and neighbors helping neighbors can make us a stronger community. In 2013, thanks to Dan Fraser, Dan & Whit’s in Norwich began collecting food and donating a portion of their sales to the Upper Valley Haven when they heard the Food Shelf was in need of goods.
Since then, businesses and community members across the Upper Valley have come together each winter to support the Haven and people in our region struggling with poverty, hunger, and homelessness. The Jack & Dorothy Byrne Foundation threw in a generous match as an incentive to give! The community shops with local businesses, local businesses donate a portion of their sales to the Haven, and the Haven provides resources for people who need a hand up.
Check back often for the latest updates!
Do you have appreciated stock? We’re also accepting direct stock donations because we know many donors are switching to stock giving in order to receive tax benefits for the 2023 tax year. Make a 19 Days stock donation quickly and easily online or access our transfer information and boost your 2023 savings as you make an impact!
Interested in donating, but you’d prefer not to do so online? Dan & Whit’s is happy to accept checks at their store made out to “Upper Valley Haven” with “19 Days” in the memo.
Empty Shelves in the Haven’s Food Shelf Started a Community Movement!
One cold night in 2013, a customer visited Dan & Whit’s, grabbed a pile of basic groceries, and at the checkout mentioned that the Haven’s Food Shelf was nearly bare and she planned to donate the food that day. Dan Fraser decided to match that shopper’s generosity and double her food donation to the Haven. That moment sparked an idea: much like the efforts of brands like Ben & Jerry’s and Newman’s Own, Dan & Whit’s could donate 1% of sales for the first 19 days of December to the Upper Valley Haven.
D&W started challenging businesses to participate, joining us in this initiative because 1% isn’t much on its own, but it adds up quickly! We knew that it was difficult for individuals and businesses to donate to yet one more cause so we encouraged each business to create what worked for them, asking customers to collect certain products or choose the size of their donation dollar amount. Plus the local economy would benefit during the holidays—in 2013, over $10,000 was donated to the Haven from Norwich businesses, made possible by over 1 million dollars in local sales that occurred during those first 19 days of December.
Over time, businesses beyond Norwich joined this unique effort to help the Haven combat hunger. The generous spirit and energy throughout the Upper Valley was infectious. Year after year, we have come up with innovative ideas to keep our community shopping local and giving local… and many shoppers continue this mindset beyond the holiday season.
Though the project began as a way to quickly restock the Haven’s Food Shelf, the continued success of this program has truly impacted the Haven and those it serves in many ways. Many people know the Haven because of the Food Shelf, but our services go far beyond that. We provide:
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Resources and connections for people who need assistance with food, housing, healthcare, or other critical needs;
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Adult educational opportunities that will improve people’s lives in the future;
- Programs for local children that will help them learn and thrive at no cost to their families;
- And temporary shelter for people in the Upper Valley who are facing homelessness.
