PUTNEY — Thanksgiving is a time when we give thanks for what we have and who we have around us. The Putney Foodshelf is thankful for the Putney community!
Thanksgiving is about food and being thankful, so we handed out 49 turkeys to our recipients this Thanksgiving - a turkey and a harvest basket/bag filled with the fixings for a delicious meal.
We could not have done so without the support of the Grammar School (which provided 10 beautifully decorated and packed-full baskets in addition to monthly donations), the Putney Paper Mill (which donated six huge turkeys), Landmark College students (who continue to provide us with toiletry and household items on an ongoing basis), Basketville (which surprises us with generous checks), Putney Central School PTO (which donated $1 for every pie sold during a recent fundraiser), the Putney Food Co-op (which donated proceeds from its Round Up Fund - not to mention weekly donations), our back door neighbors at Putney Commons (who gardened for us, providing squash for our harvest bags), and countless other community groups and individuals.
This is an amazing community who thinks of their neighbors without even knowing who they are. The number of people the Foodshelf serves has risen dramatically this past year. These tough economic times affect us all.
We are so thankful we can provide this small safety net to our neighbors and help in some small way.
The Foodshelf is working toward our own 501(c)3 status (we're currently operating under the financial agency of the Community Center, which so graciously gives us space) and creating an organized infrastructure to keep our operations running smoothly.
Keeping our shelves filled takes a dozen volunteers about 15 hours a week with 400 pounds of food that is both donated and purchased through membership fees at the Vermont Foodbank.
If you are in need of food assistance, want to make a donation, or want to find out about volunteer opportunities, feel free to stop in. We are located at the Putney Community Center (10 Christian Square - ramp side entrance) from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturdays.
For more information, call 802-387-2120. (Putney Family Services generously allows us to use their phone number and forwards messages to us.)