During the holiday season, there is an abundance of community organizations that try to appeal to the community’s generosity.

One such program, All Teens Matter, needs a little extra help right now.

For the first time in years, All Teens Matter was not allowed to set up at their usual location to solicit donations from the community, and thus lost “91 percent of our material items that we collect,” said Lanette Duchesneau, founder of All Teens Matter.

All Teens Matter is an organization dedicated to providing students in Kitsap and North Mason counties who are part of low- or no-income households with the holiday every child deserves. Qualified students must be ages 13-18 and enrolled in school; the people the organization helps are nominated by school counselors.

Duchesneau started this organization nearly two decades ago, when her daughter was 16.

“(At the time), I had cancer treatments,” she said. “They told me I’d only be off work for a few weeks, and I ended up off for nine months. It hurt. We went for help — we got a football and a turkey leg.

“When I got on my feet and could afford it, I started this charity. It’s just been going form there.”

She said their first year, Norm Dicks, the former congressman who was raised in Bremerton and was known as “an aggressive champion of economic development funds for local communities,” according to Politico.com, really helped All Teens Matter get started.

“He got our 501(c)(3) status for us in a matter of 30 days,” Duchesneau said, “and then he also gave a big donation, and the first year, I helped 180 students.”

Each student helped — which this year is a little less than 600 students — receives a Christmas tree, donated by U-Cut Alpine Tree Farm, a stocking, four to six gifts, and a complete holiday dinner (including turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, pumpkin pie and more) put together by Ralph’s Red Apple.

Gifts are collected through giving trees set up throughout the county, from which people can take a gift tag and “adopt” a teenager, Duchesneau said. The tags include three needs, three wants and three “love to haves” of each particular child, as well as a gift they’d like to give to one or both of their parents.

“It’s been awesome,” Duchesneau said of the community support. “The community, they see the tags … and it just breaks their hearts when they see some of these kids are asking for toothbrushes for Christmas.

“The community does help a lot. I am so grateful for them. But we definitely need some more attention.”

This year, Duchesneau said fundraising has been “kind of scarce,” and she’s not sure where to go to get more. She said stores like Fred Meyer and Walmart can’t allow All Teens Matter to fundraise because bellringers are already using those sites.

“It’s just getting more difficult,” Duchesneau said. “(We’re) relying on the community, putting things on Facebook. Right now, we need six mountain bikes and 11 more meals (which are $24.99 a piece). We’re tight, we’re stressed and we’re hoping.”

To help raise more funds, the Walmart in East Bremerton donated artificial trees that Duchesneau was able to sell for half price to benefit All Teens Matter. Most have sold, but as of Dec. 5, two remained available for purchase, both 7.5 feet tall with lights. One has pinecones and gold trim as well.

The giving trees All Teens Matter support are set up at the Port Orchard Spiro’s, Destination Hwy 420 in Bremerton, Austin Chase Coffee in Silverdale, the Pizza Factory in Kingston, Hansville Grocery, East Bremerton’s Walmart and the Salad Shack in Sheridan Village in Bremerton.

Barnes &Noble also helps support the organization: at the moment, whenever people make purchases, cashiers also ask if they’d be willing to purchase a book to donate to a child or teenager in the area.

“The kids ask for books,” Duchesneau said. “Now, the kids get books. Every kid gets a book or two in their stocking.”

Also, Ted Sandler at Mattress Ranch donates mattresses when kids need them — twin mattresses for ages 13-15, double mattresses for 16-18.

If interested in learning more about All Teens Matter and/or finding out how to help, visit all teensmatter.com, email all teensmatter@yahoo.com, or contact Duchesneau at jld8041@yahoo.com or 360-710-2761.

Michelle Beahm is a reporter for the Central Kitsap Reporter and Bremerton Patriot. She can be reached at mbeahm@soundpublishing.com.