Turkeys galore in RCS: A community unites to care for families in need

RCS business and charity leaders gather for a group photo before Thanksgiving meals are distributed.

The RCS community turned out in force to ensure no one went without a Thanksgiving meal. For several years now, Capital Region Independent Media, publisher of the Ravena News Herald and other local weekly papers, has coordinated the Feed Your Mind, Feed a Family program. Thanks to the support of paper subscribers and the business community, the program gave 115 Thanksgiving to area charities for distribution to families in need on Thursday, November 21.

Thirty meals were earmarked for families in need through the Ravena Coeymans Selkirk Central School District’s Backpack Program. Another 20 meals went to Hope Full Life Center’s Helping Harvest program, a charitable grocery store for low-income families. The rest when to Trinity United Methodist Church and Grace United Methodist Church’s food pantries and to other charities.

Hope Full Life Center and Helping Harvest handed out another 60 meals on Saturday, November 23 as part of Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York’s initiative to distribute at least 30,000 Thanksgiving meals to people in need. Some of these meals were prepared and others were in the form of groceries so families could prepare their meal at home.

On Monday, November 25, St. Patrick’s Food Pantry on Main Street in Ravena handed out an additional 98 Thanksgiving meals. In total they served 143 families in November.

All of this would not have occurred if it wasn’t for our area charities, the generosity of local businesses and many volunteers. Thanks to Capital Region Independent Media, publisher of the Ravena News Herald, Carver Companies; Crossroads Ford; Nolan Energy, Shop ‘N Save and TCI of NY, LLC for underwriting the Feed Your Mind, Feed a Family project on November 21.

Support from the Regional Food Bank, BW Property Care and Allphase Masonry and Concrete made the distribution on November 23 at Helping Harvest possible.

St. Patrick’s Food Pantry director, Diane Hoffman, gave thanks to Shop N’ Save and Holcim for their assistance. Kyle at Shop N Save helps her get the groceries and the Holcim team picks it all up and puts it away she said.

Together, the community stepped up to ensure all families had the makings for a nice meal so they could celebrate the holiday and create positive memories.