Holiday Season Recap 2022
The end of the year is always a busy time at the Joseph House. Thanksgiving and Christmas bring out an abundance of goodwill, and we see it in all the ways people share with those in need. We are grateful to be a part of the season of giving, as we help bring people together and create a community where love of neighbor reigns supreme. Take a look at all the good things that happened.
Our truck filled with 15,420 pounds of food arrived at the Joseph House on Saturday, November 19. The canned goods and other imperishable food items were gathered from the annual Neighborhood Food Drive in Salisbury. This is the 35th year of the food drive spearheaded by Bernie and Jim Greene with the help of their children and grandchildren. We are most grateful to the Greenes and the many volunteers who sorted into bins all the cans, boxes, and jars that were donated. Our storage barn gets a little chilly, but warm hearts make up for it. The donated food will keep our pantry stocked for the winter months. Thank you to everyone who gave.
The next morning, our truck was parked at St Francis de Sale Church on Riverside Drive in Salisbury to collect donations of turkeys (87 in all), holiday food, and other items. Here’s Jack, one of our fantastic volunteers, who is always eager to help with a smile. We were overwhelmed by the generosity of our parishioners.
On November 22 and 23, we gave out 87 turkeys and 78 chickens to help needy families with their Thanksgiving dinner. During the other weeks of November, we distributed other food items to help feed 750 people.
December is the time for Christmas toys, and our volunteers start preparing months in advance. We give out gift bags for children up to the age of 14 years. Each bag includes two large toys, a smaller one, a book, a puzzle or activity book, assorted stocking stuffers, plus a hat, scarf, or mittens. This year we gave out 555 bags!
In addition, 158 new winter coats for children were given away.
So many people make our Christmas program possible every year. We want to thank WBOC’s Bless Our Children campaign and all the generous people who donated toys. And of course, we can’t thank our volunteers enough; we appreciate not only their hard work, but the great spirit they bring that makes the holiday season so joyful.
Finally, looking beyond Christmas to the cold winter months ahead, an enterprising high school student, Peyton, organized a coat drive for a service learning project. He collected and dropped off a total of 154 items: coats, clothing, hats, scarves, and gloves!
