Every year since 2010, residents turn out in support of Mrs. Nothstein’s Helping Hands Fund. In November, a homemade holiday craft and food sale fundraiser is held in memory of Deb Nothstein, who was an active community member in Catasauqua and North Catasauqua boroughs who dedicated much of her time to helping those in need, especially children.

“The vital funds necessary to enable us to support children and their families in need in the community are raised at this annual event,” the fund’s website, mrsnothsteinshelpinghands.com, reads. “In a typical year, the homemade holiday craft and food sale is our only source of revenue, outside of personal donations, so a massive amount of work is put in to ensure its success.”

After Deb Nothstein’s death in 2010, family, friends and co-workers wanted to continue her compassionate work. Thus, Mrs. Nothstein’s Helping Hands Fund came to fruition. More than $60,000 has been distributed to those in need since the start, according to the website.

“It is hard to fathom [March 16] marks 10 years since our family’s lives changed forever,” a March 16 Facebook post on the group’s page reads. “There surely are days Deb’s memory will cause sadness and grief, but thanks to you all supporting this organization, the days of wonderful memories and charity greatly outweigh the sad. From our family to yours, thank you for all your love and support toward our organization over this last decade.”

With the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event will look a little different. Fund organizers are taking orders for halupki, haluski, filling, apple dumplings and three flavors of kiffles.

Pickup is scheduled for Nov. 15 in the social hall of St. John Fisher Church, 1239 Third St., North Catasauqua. There will be 30-minute pickup windows available noon-3 p.m. Participants will schedule a time when placing their order. Deadline for orders is Oct. 30.

As always, money raised supports many students and families of Sheckler Elementary School, Catasauqua.

“Since the inception of Mrs. Nothstein’s Helping Hands Fund in 2010, we have never dictated what the funds would be used for outside of helping children and their families in need in our community,” said Bethany Nothstein, daughter of Deb Nothstein and fund board member. “These needs have ranged from items such as backpacks and shoes to covering rent/utility bills and even a used car. Over the past 10 years, we have been very fortunate to never have had to turn away a family in need due to the generosity of our supporters.

“Our family is very disappointed we are unable to hold our annual homemade holiday event, but the health and safety of the community is most important,” Bethany Nothstein continued. “The event has gained popularity over the past 10 years, and we know it is something the community looks forward to for holiday decor, gifts and delicious homemade food and treats. Additionally, this is our one fundraiser for the year, so before coming up with the holiday food sale, we were concerned about not being able to raise funds.”

Thankfully, earlier this year, Bethany Nothstein’s grandmother and Deb Nothstein’s mother, Rose Marhefka, started making masks. She committed to not charging for the masks, as this was her way of helping people during the pandemic. When she distributed more than 2,000 masks, people started making donations, which have all gone to Mrs. Nothstein’s Helping Hands Fund.

A new email database contact has been created on the website at mrsnothsteinshelpinghands.com/contact. When submitting your information, you can select the type of emails you’d like to receive.

“Many times we are in need of items for a family, and having a database of individuals to reach out to would open many doors for those in need,” Bethany Nothstein said. “We unfortunately do not have a facility to store supplies or furniture, which are at times the items that would provide great support to our families in need.”

The group is also looking for more volunteers for its efforts.

“We are always in need of volunteers, especially when we are able to host our next event,” Bethany Nothstein said. “A huge amount of work, over a very short period of time, goes into preparing for our homemade holiday sale. Volunteers would be a huge help, so if you are interested in lending a hand, we would love to hear from you. You can drop us a line at mrsnothsteinshelpinghands@gmail.com or send us a message on our website or at facebook.com/MrsNothsteinsHelpingHands.

“In addition to volunteers, we also depend heavily on the community to get the word out about the work we do and our events. Sharing our posts on social media or email notifications goes a long way to creating successful events,” Bethany Nothstein said.

For more information, visit the website or Facebook page. To place your food orders, see the order form found on the website under Holiday Food Sale.

To those who have supported Helping Hands Fund in any kind of way, Bethany Nothstein said, “It is far too simple, but thank you. The support the community has shown to our family over the past 10 years has been truly astounding. My mother took such pride in helping others, especially children, so to be able to continue the work she cherished is the biggest blessing we could have ever asked for.

“If you have come to one of our holiday sales, made a contribution of any size or assisted at a local event that collected proceeds for our fund, thank you,” she said. “Without the support of the community, none of this would be possible, and we are forever grateful.”