Times Old Newsies Association

In 1939 the poverty rate in Erie was close to 40%. Many people were really struggling financially. The Erie Times newspaper decided they needed to do something to help. They decided to raise money to put Christmas dinners together for needy families. They knew that they needed help collecting money, so they called on former paperboys to help them. 

On the 1st Friday in December 1939, former newspaper deliverers took to the streets of Erie to collect money. We have collected every year since ( with the exception of 2020 due to Covid).

85 years later the Times Old Newsies are still helping needy people in Erie County. There are roughly 200 men and women in our organization. We now collect money throughout the community on the 1st Friday of December to help various organizations feed the needy in Erie County.

We donate money collected to Emmaus Soup Kitchen, Community Shelter Services Kiwani’s Kitchen, we work with the VA Hospital- to provide Holiday meals to veterans and their families. We also donate to Meals on Wheels to provide veterans who are non ambulatory a hot dinner everyday for a year. We also donate to local churches’ food pantries.

This is our 1st year on Erie Gives. We hope to receive donations that will help us give more money to organizations that feed the needy among us at Christmas time and throughout the year here in Erie County.