With your support, Deja New has been able to provide assistance to many families. These are some of our larger projects:
Big Project of 2022!
With the help of the community, Deja New raised $14,000 in 14 days to purchase a diabetic alert dog for a youngster in Leicester.
Shout Out!
Thanks, Representative LeBoeuf, for all your hard work in securing these funds, especially the seed money for Deja New Rides. Our launch of this program in 2022 was very successful!
Nonprofit of the Night!
On July 8, 2022, Deja New was recognized at the Worcester Red Sox game as Nonprofit of the Night. Here are two great articles about “Leicester Night” at the Woo Sox.
Sunset Gardens 2022
After last year’s fire in the Sunset Gardens building at the Leicester Housing Authority, it took a while for the residents to return to their apartments and common areas. Thanks to our generous donors, Deja New was able to furnish both the upstairs and downstairs common areas with comfortable furniture.
2022 Easter Fun
Deja New invited the kids in town to meet the Easter Bunny and the Balloon Man, Lee Brusa. Families went away with pictures, toys, balloon creatures, and lots of fun!
Big Project of 2021!
2021 was a big year for Deja New. Thanks to all of you, we were able to make more than $20,000 in cash and non-cash donations to the residents of Leicester! Click the following links to see how the money was spent.
2021 Fire Fund
Just before Thanksgiving, one of the buildings at the Leicester Housing Authority caught fire and displaced all 40 of the residents. Fortunately, the Fire Department evacuated everyone safely, and nobody sustained injuries. Deja New stepped in to help the fire victims get back on their feet. They raised money to purchase immediate necessities and later helped with long-term replacement items. In addition, Project New Hope supplied food and snacks; Leicester Country Bank gave Walmart gift cards, hats, gloves, and scarves; and the Mass Military Support Foundation provided Bombas Socks.
2021 Summer of Support
In order to thank Leicester’s first responders and educational staff, Deja New sponsored a Summer of Support. They asked the EMTs, Fire, Highway, and Police Departments to provide a wish list and offered $100 mini-grants to teachers and educational staff at the three Leicester Schools. To learn more, click on the link and read the article posted in the Spencer New Leader. Click HERE.
2021 Pot ‘O Gold
Through a project called Pot ‘O Gold, Deja New and three amazing volunteers were able to deliver some assistance to local restaurants that have been hit hard by the pandemic. In partnership with Deja New, Ava LaPointe, Olivia Luczyk, and Jacob Zawalick - all LHS seniors and NHS scholars successfully completed their community service project. For this program, Deja New purchased $1,000 worth of gift cards from Leicester restaurants. Shoppers who spent $25 or more were able to pick a “gold coin” out of the Pot ‘O Gold, which contained a gift card from one of our local restaurants. This project was a win for all. Customers received a great meal, and additional sales will help us provide more support to local families in need!
2020 Trip to Ohio
In the fall of 2020, Deja New held a toy sale to raise funds to send Maddie Cole and her family to Ohio to pick up Maddie’s seizure alert dog, receive training, and bring the dog home. This fundraiser along with a CPR fundraiser hosted by Nate Hagglund provided funds for food, housing, and transportation to and from Ohio. In June 2021, Maddie and her family came home with Banjo, a big, beautiful Golden Doodle!
2019 Birdies for the Boys
In 2019, Deja New ran a golf tournament called “Birdies for the Boys” to raise funds for McAuley Nazareth Home for Boys. The tournament was held at Pine Ridge Country Club and attracted golfers from all across the state. After the tournament, golfers gathered inside for a wonderful meal and friendly games. It was a lot of fun for a great cause.
2019 Playground Fun
In 2019, Deja New purchased a playground for the Raymond family and their four special-needs children. Scott Weikel from the Leicester Christmas Display and Paul Kemp from the Greenville Baptist Church set up the swings in the sweltering 4th of July heat. Even in the winter, the Raymond kids get to play outside.
2018 Maddie’s Dog
In 2018, Deja New held a fabulous fundraiser called “A Taste of Leicester” to raise funds to purchase a seizure alert dog for Maddie Cole. Maddie is a child in Leicester who suffers from a form of epilepsy where she experiences medication-resistant seizures daily. A Taste of Leicester and other fundraisers helped raise $17,000 to purchase Maddie’s service dog, which will be ready to come home in summer 2021.
2017 Eddy’s Van
In 2017, Deja New started working with other local organizations and churches to raise money to purchase a wheelchair-accessible van for Eddy Besse, a child in Leicester who has Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease). This is a lifelong genetic disorder that causes bones to break very easily, usually without any type of injury. It took 6 months to raise $40,000 for the van, insurance for a year, a transponder for the Mass Pike, and gas cards, but the Town of Leicester came together to make this a reality!
Ongoing Assistance
Every month, Deja New provides assistance to Leicester families by supporting charitable organizations such as Leicester Hearts for Heat and local food pantries.
We also help families in crisis pay bills or purchase necessities that they may not be able to afford. In emergencies, we have provided furniture to fire victims and worked with the Leicester School Department to furnish an apartment for an exchange teacher from Egypt.
In addition to providing financial support, Deja New also has a Medical Device Loan Program. We have transport chairs, wheelchairs, a knee scooter, a walker, shower seats, and raised commodes.
If you need help or know of someone who does, just call Cheryl at 774-368-0438, or stop at Deja New, 100 South Main Street, Leicester, MA, to pick up an Application for Assistance. All requests for assistance remain confidential unless we are given permission to publicize the project.