At Family Resources Community Action, in Woonsocket, yesterday was a busy day. At left, Holiday Programs coordinator Deb Grasso gives out a coupon for a free turkey, while employee Kat Neptune, right background, executive assistant Josie Byrd and volunteer Cindy Roy, in the foreground, bring in more Thanksgiving donations.

The Providence Journal / Sandor Bodo

WOONSOCKET — As holiday drives get under way throughout the city, two local organizations are asking people to think beyond unwrapped toys and canned goods to the everyday basics that young families need.

Family Resources Community Action and Connecting for Children & Families are requesting donations of household items such as diapers, used strollers, and children’s clothes, in addition to playthings and food.

“There are items people need on a day-to-day basis other than Christmas stuff,” said Cara Henry, a project manager at Family Resources’ Support Center. “We are moving into the holiday season when people are facing tough choices: ‘Do I provide my kids with Christmas presents, or pay the rent and the gas bill?’ We want to help them so they can save their money and keep their families stable.”

Throughout the year, the number-one request from parents at the Family Resources drop-in center is for diapers — food stamps, which cover many basic needs, do not cover diapers, Henry explained. Strollers and other pricey baby equipment, whether new or used, are also desirable, and double strollers “are like gold” for larger families.

“The bulk of our caseload is mothers with children under the age of three, so these things are critical,” said Kristen Allen, family support director at Connecting for Children & Families.

Nationally, the word on the economy is good, but to service agencies in Woonsocket, that news can seem a world away. Typically, about 30 percent of children in this city live in poverty, but officials here say the numbers have recently spiked.

During the typically slow months of July, August and September, Family Resources saw the number of drop-in clients climb by more than 25 percent, 700 more than the previous quarter, Henry said. And now that winter is approaching, those percentages are expected to increase even more.

It’s not just the poorest residents that are in need of help. Working families, who don’t qualify for public assistance, can also feel the strain of financial pressures at this time of year, Henry and Allen say.

To make life easier on those residents, the organizations are requesting retail gift cards from stores such as Wal-Mart and Stop & Shop, which offer basic items, including toiletries, groceries and even gas. Gift cards, they say, provide flexibility and convenience, so families can use them to purchase whatever necessities may come up unexpectedly.

Allen cited the recent case of a young mom who got laid off from her full-time job. She was fortunate to find another position almost immediately, but the lag in personnel processing meant she would have to wait several weeks for her first paycheck.

“All she needed was gas to get to the new job and food to put in her kids’ lunchboxes,” Allen said. A small gift card could have easily solved the problem.

On a practical note, gift cards also take up less space in the organization’s sometimes cramped headquarters than other donations, so they’re also easier to keep on hand throughout the year.

“Again, if we can tap into donations for these types of things, for the real essentials, people have a better chance of staying up to date on the bills,” said Henry.

Anyone interested in donating gift cards or baby supplies and equipment to either organization is asked to call Deb Grasso at Family Resources, (401) 766-0900, or Lucy Irizarry at Connecting for Children and Families, (401) 766-8466.