The Water Street non-profit organization will open its Christmas Room from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25.

People will have the chance to purchase Christmas decorations at low prices, with the organization hoping for sales to contribute toward the costs of maintenance while their services are becoming more demanded.

The Christmas Room consists of donated decorations that are available for people to purchase, even including unopened items donated by stores at times. Board President Carol Hay stated that the room included a host of items such as christmas trees, light, wrapping paper, greeting cards, and more. Hay noted that the organization has three main goals with this room. Firstly, is to get decorations into the hands of people who need them, but cannot afford to buy them from a traditional retail store. The second goal is keeping usable items out of landfills, and finding someone that needs or appreciates an item of little value to another, according to Hay. Lastly is the important goal of raising funds for the organization, to continue to allow for them to aid those in need.

The organization began in the early 2000s due to the increasing need for people to purchase second-hand items, and the large number of people willing to donate in the area, said Hay. Despite the long presence within the area, recent challenges faced by the organization have increased the difficulty of aiding the community.

Bells, snowmen, and Santa Claus decorations.

Hay pointed out that the organization is located in the Gateway Center at 31 Water St. Hay states that the location is huge, and therefore there are high costs that come with maintaining operations. Hay noted the large insurance and utility costs that burden the organization at the moment. The organization has very few paid employees and relies mostly on volunteers, yet still has an executive director and various part-time employees that must be paid as well, said Hay. Hay also mentioned that there is a large population in need of assistance and the services provided by the organization. These factors have resulted in an increased need for the resources of the organization while the resources do not seem to be growing equivalently.

Community Helping Hands reached out to The Post-Journal last November asking the community for donations to keep its doors open. has been helping the Jamestown community for more than 20 years. Community Helping Hands open. Community Helping Hands was one of the original tenants of the Gateway Center, which was repurposed after the closure of Chautauqua Hardware at 31 Water St. in 2001.

“I do think there has been a reduction in people who come to Helping Hands to purchase items, so that has cut our revenue some. We are also seeing an increase in the number of people who need services and help,” said Hay. “In order for us to pay the bills, we need more revenue, donations, or some of both.”

Hay discussed one collaborative measure being taken that would likely assist the organization, that being the ongoing lofts project. The lofts project is a $77 million plan to rehabilitate the building into affordable housing. Hay noted that the Gateway Center building is currently underutilized. The project ultimately plans to make better use of this space while also addressing the need for more housing for the income-limited. Hay noted that the housing opportunity will also bring people to a centralized location so that they may easily access the organization’s services.

The Christmas Room will be open until Dec. 20 during regular hours of operation. The organization operates Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. For more information contact 716-487-1488.

Festive pillows available in the Christmas Room.

Decorative table cloths available for purchase in the Christmas Room.

A Community Held Hands member stands next to various ceramic Christmas decorations.