by Cornelia Fortier, Contributing Editor
As Thanksgiving approaches, many of us wrestle with the tough questions: how many pumpkin, how many pecan; stuffing with sausage or chestnuts; whether to make cheese straws again this year. But besides the blinding number of details that go into the creation of this marathon meal, and the year's worth of family and football we cram into one day, Thanksgiving reminds an awful lot of us, especially here in Fairfield County, of how profoundly lucky we are. And though we may fret over whether our gravy is smooth enough, or afterwards, regret that we consumed a week's worth of calories in a day, we also know that reaching out to help others at Thanksgiving time - and beyond - is the one ingredient that brings us a lasting sense of fullness.
Some Ways to Help:
Order Thanksgiving Pies Through Share the Pie:
Organized by Westport's Interfaith Housing Association (IHA) and the Conservative Synagogue, all proceeds support programs and services to help the homeless and families in need in Westport, Weston, Wilton and surrounding towns. Scrumptious pies, baked by professionals, are donated and available for purchase, by pre-order, for $20 each. Orders for Apple, Pecan, Pumpkin or Kosher Apple and Pumpkin pies must be in by Friday, November 18th. Credit card orders will be taken at 203-226-3426 Ext. 15. Checks with orders may be sent to: Share the Pie, PO Box 764, Westport, 06880. Pies will be available for pick-up on Monday, November 21st, from 6 to 8 PM at the Conservative Synagogue, 30 Hillspoint Road in Westport. Orders of 10 or more pies can be delivered to one location upon request.
Donate Food, Supplies or Supermarket Gift Cards to Needy Families for Thanksgiving:
Serving three meals a day, with a food pantry, family support and medical services as well as services for the mentally ill, the Stamford based, non-denominational New Covenant House of Hospitality is an inner city soup kitchen serving lower Fairfield County. Director Donna Price's goal is to assemble over 100 Thanksgiving baskets with turkeys and food for a full holiday meal to give to needy families. But the hoped-for food donations, especially non-perishables as well as turkeys, are lagging. Donations of supermarket gift cards allow families to make their own food choices. Cards in $20 and $25 amounts are preferred. Pampers in all sizes are also requested. Donations of food, supplies or supermarket gift certificates can be brought to: New Covenant House, 90 Fairfield Avenue, Stamford, 203-324-0563. Drop off is at the Yerwood Community Center around back. From 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday through Saturday and til 1 PM on Sundays.
Serve a Thanksgiving Meal or Donate Food:
Bridgeport's Thomas Merton Center serves meals to over 250 people, of all backgrounds, every day. They are the elderly, the chronically ill, the mentally ill, the homeless, children and infants included. In addition, it offers family support, medical services, literacy programs, and even makes showers available. Though there is also a need for canned goods and supermarket gift cards, people willing to volunteer their time, whether to serve Thanksgiving dinner or any other meal, are very appreciated. For more information, contact The Thomas Merton Center, 43 Madison Avenue, Bridgeport, 203-367-9036.
Thanksgiving Baskets Need Filling and Families Need Help Staying Warm
Barbara West at The Community Action Committee of Danbury, says that, with the assistance of the Salvation Army, her agency hopes to give out 500 food baskets for Thanksgiving and Christmas, each with a turkey, ham or whatever is donated and all the trimmings. All types of non-perishable foods are also needed, cereal, for instance and all boxed and canned goods, to fill up shelves at CACD's emergency food pantry. For their day care center, Pampers, all sizes, are an ongoing need. One of the biggest services the Community Action Committee offers is fuel/heating assistance, so monetary donations, Ms. West says, help provide this necessary support. To donate food, money or time, call CACD, 66 North St, Danbury, 06810 (203) 744 4700.
A Call for Clothes & Food
Norwalk's Emergency Shelter not only houses 85 to 95 men, women and families each night, all year, it also operates a soup kitchen, The Manna House of Hospitality, providing three meals a day, every day which translates to 12,000 meals each month. Carole Antonez, the Shelter's Director, says she hopes to create several hundred baskets for Thanksgiving, if donations come through. Needed are turkeys, instant mashed potatoes and all the trimmings, including cranberry sauce. A particularly desperate need, she says, is for gently used clothes, especially men's, as well as blankets, towels, and new underwear and socks. Non-perishable food is always a priority, for the pantry on site that's run in addition to the shelter and soup kitchen. "People were taking their rent money to buy food, and then ended up homeless," Ms. Antonez says, explaining the addition of the pantry. To make donations or volunteer at Norwalk's Emergency Shelter, 4 Merritt Street, Norwalk, call 203-866-1057.
