Holiday Food Box recipients were greeted with warmth and a homemade cookie.
3,000-plus Households Served!
The forecast called for more shelter than a breezeway could provide.
Handing out Holiday Food Boxes. It’s a gesture of compassion for those in need that St. Vincent de Paul has been making since the mid-1950’s.
But it’s not SVdP alone. In addition to the legendary participation of Honorary Turkey Drive Chair Betty Snowden, St. Vinnie’s store clerks promote Turkey Drive to raise money for bulk purchases, groups conduct food drives of their own, and this year seven faith communities took part in Turkey Drive by hosting freezers and filling them with frozen hams and turkeys, which were stored graciously by SnoTemp.
Volunteers from throughout the community spend time at the Atkinson Food Room filling bags with the nonperishable items that will eventually be part of each Holiday Food Box. Potatoes, oranges, apples come later, topped off with a frozen turkey or ham.
Distribution takes place at St. Vincent de Paul’s Lindholm Service Center, and at several Catholic churches — St. Alice, St. Jude, St. Mark, St. Peter and St. Paul — where SVdP conference volunteers call upon their communities and students to get involved. And get involved they did, starting the school break by spreading good cheer and good eating during a seemingly endless rainstorm.
A group handshake sets a tone of unity and cooperation for Marist students.
At St. Paul Church, students from Marist High School served up the goods from a breezeway of umbrellas.
President of St. Peter SVdP Conference, Sandy Murray infuses students with holiday cheer and decorum.
St. Peter’s hospitality/traffic-control committee. Below, food-box distribution, one component at a time.
St. Vinnie’s trucking staff prepares to unload the components of hundreds of Holiday Food Boxes. It’s a busy time for drivers and helpers alike.
Thank You, Turkey Drive
Freezer Hosts:
Emmaus Lutheran Church
St. Peter Catholic Church
St. Paul Catholic Church
St. Mark Catholic Church
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
St. Alice Catholic Church
Living Hope Church
First Congregational Church
…and Business Partners:
Capella Market & SnoTemp
… and Betty Snowden, who every year reminds us anew of the importance of a Holiday Food Box.