Holiday Drive Coordinator Needs a Hail Mary for a Local Family

Members of the Portsmouth Police Department, along with a dedicated group of supportive volunteers, work overtime during the holiday season to brighten the spirits of families in need.

In recent days, officer Scott Sullivan has been working nonstop to organize and deliver toys and gifts to needy families as he coordinates the police department’s annual toy drive. The employee conference room at police headquarters has been as busy as Grand Central Station as gifts have been delivered and distributed.

This year, the outpouring of generosity has been immense and Sullivan has forsaken sleep to run the program, along with help from his colleagues and friends.

But Sullivan needs a little extra help for a local family that has fallen on hard times.

A great family in Barrington has been facing a few struggles this year, he said.

“They’re good people,” Sullivan said. “The kids use the computer to access their school work and it died. They go to the library but it is not the most convenient way of doing things.”

Sullivan said the family is deserving of a blessing from a Secret Santa and he’s hoping to find someone in Barrington or Portsmouth who can assist.

“I know it is late and last minute but they did not ask for anything but a little help for the kids,” Sullivan said.

Despite the overwhelming need in the community, Sullivan said there is a perception that families in towns like Portsmouth and Barrington don’t need help.

“The issue we often deal with is ‘if they live in Portsmouth or Barrington they must be rich,’” Sullivan said. “I know we are Portsmouth PD and we have been able to create a lot of positive moments in town and borders are irrelevant when you find a truly needy and nice family.”

If you think you can help throw Sullivan a Hail Mary pass, give him a call at 401-683-0300 ext. 109.