BRATTLEBORO — The St. Michael's Episcopal Church Tag Sale Team is planning the Sharing for Meals Project - described as an outdoor, by-donation “un-tag sale” - on Saturday, July 17, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (The rain or excessive heat date is Saturday, July 24.)
The event was hatched to meet two perceived needs in the region exacerbated by the pandemic over the past year: meeting Loaves and Fishes' needs, and distributing a surplus of donations of goods.
A mission of Centre Congregational Church, Loaves and Fishes provides essential prepared food and groceries to food-deprived people in the area.
Under the direction of St. Michael's parishioner Ruth Tilghman, Loaves and Fishes has more than doubled its twice-a-week production from 150 meals per day pre-pandemic to between 350 and 400 meals per day since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Loaves and Fishes has requested financial support from St. Michael's.
St. Michael's Tag Sale Ministry has accumulated a backlog of donations, after having cancelled three of its semi-annual tag sales during the pandemic.
“We are offering gently used clothing and accessories for all ages and all seasons, shoes, outerwear, and linens such as sheets and towels,” the church has noted in a Facebook post.
“We'd like to share these goods with the community,” says Project Coordinator Elizabeth Vick, so the clothing/linen sharing event will take place on the St. Michael's lawn under tents.
The cost? Take what you want, and give what you can.
“Our goal,” said Vick, “is to raise $3,000 for Loaves and Fishes while sharing good-quality clothing and linens with the broader community.”
To reach that goal, the group will need further donations to augment the event's proceeds. Donations may be mailed to the St. Michael's parish office, 16 Bradley Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301, with “Loaves and Fishes” noted in the memo line.
“The mission of St. Michael's is 'to serve all people, commit to deep generosity, [and] promote social, racial, and economic justice,'” said Vick. “That is why we are doing this.”