THETFORD FOOD SHELF

THETFORD TOWN SERVICE OFFICER

  Through your generosity, the Thetford Food Shelf continues to expand and and improve. We were the recipients of numerous food-drives and fund raisers, as well as the time and generosity of many volunteers.

  Thank you to Thetford teachers Joanna Waldman and Cyrie Lange who involved both their classes, by celebrating the ‘100th school day’ with a large food collection, and donating soups and other items at Christmas, respectively. Many Thetford students also participated in the Hike for Hunger, collecting and delivering a substantial amount of items for the food shelf. We were also grateful to The Vocational Classes at Oxbow High school who once again included Thetford in their annual competitive food collection, delivering over 600 pounds of food at Thanksgiving time.

  Thanks to the PTO and Youth Sports Board for making the Food Shelf the recipient of the funds raised during a basketball game between Thetford Elementary School staff and 6th grade students. It was a fun-filled evening and a generous donation for the Food Shelf and fuel assistance programs.

  We also appreciated our many other donations last year; including numerous boxes of Girl Scout cookies - an unexpected delight for those who were not able to order their own! Also fresh vegetables provided from the gardens of several local residents, much to the appreciation of the recipients. We continue to benefit from the ongoing collection of items by area churches, as well as the generous donations of individuals. With the help of Andy Martin and his family, we added much needed shelving, and are now able to display all food and non-food items including our inventory more accessibly.

  At the present time, we are serving an average of 17 families per month from the Food Shelf, and distributing USDA commodities to 33 families each month. Through a joint effort with the Girl Scouts, we delivered 100 Christmas bags for our annual holiday project. We were also able to include fresh baked goods this year, thanks to members of the Thetford Baptist Church. In participation with several local churches and others, many local families were provided with gifts of food, clothing, toys and more over Christmas.

  Your donations also enable me to purchase a wide variety of frozen, canned, and dried food products and household items from the Vermont Food Bank. A portion of our funds is also used for urgent non-food situations, and allows us to provide assistance on many occasions. I am very fortunate to have the support and cooperation of the Trustees of Trust Funds so I can respond to these emergencies. We are currently working toward a weatherization and fuel assistance program with Bob Walker and the Energy Committee to further help those in need.

  As always, thank you to the many volunteers who help make the Food Shelf a success, and to all for your donations and support of this rewarding program.

Roberta C Howard

Food Shelf Coordinator

Town Service Officer