Helping Hands is looking for students who want to help others

Helping Hands is looking for letters from students who want to help others. Teachers and students: Our deadline this year is Friday, Nov. 15.

What is Helping Hands? Every year, the Wisconsin State Journal invites children and teens to write a brief letter about someone in their community who could use a helping hand during the holidays.

Here's how it works. Readers 18 and younger are asked to explain what they would do if they had $200 to help someone else. Helping Hands coordinators will choose some of these letters and get that money to the classmate, friend, neighbor or community member in need. The selected letters, edited for length and to avoid identifying recipients, will be published in the State Journal in December.

Helping Hands does not make donations to organizations, but rather to individuals and families, so please keep that in mind as you write your letter.

The letters are carefully screened to make sure these gifts are being sent to people who are among those who need them the most.

Over the years, Helping Hands and our letter writers have made the holidays brighter for countless area residents.

Here's how to submit a letter to Helping Hands:

Email your letter to , or mail it to Helping Hands, Attn: Gayle Worland, Wisconsin State Journal, 1901 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI 53711. Families, classes or other groups may submit entries individually or in a single envelope.

Include the following: The writer's first and last names, age, grade, school and community/city name, plus a parent/guardian's name, email address and phone number in case we have questions. Teachers and group leaders, please include your name, email address and phone number so we can contact you.

The deadline for entries is Friday, Nov. 15. All emails and postal mail should be received by that date.

Please email your questions to . We're happy to help.

The Helping Hands program is supported by the State Journal's Empty Stocking Club and the generosity of our readers. To support Helping Hands, please donate online at emptystockingclub.com or mail a check to Empty Stocking Club, Wisconsin State Journal, 1901 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI 53711, and write "Helping Hands" in the memo line.

Please email any questions to We're happy to help.