The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Vounteer groups gear up to bring Thanksgiving to those in need

By Natasha Collins

More than 5,000 Sunnyvale residents are known to need assistance during the holiday season, according to Sunnyvale Community Services. Many more are expected to come forward in need of food and supplies as it gets closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas.

People seem to always remember others during the Christmas holiday but sometimes forget when it comes to giving during Thanksgiving, according to volunteers at Second Harvest Food Bank.

There are, however, places where those in need can turn this Thanksgiving. Churches are donating food, Sunnyvale Community Services and Second Harvest Food bank will be delivering groceries to needy families and Onizuka Air Station will cook dinner for sick children.

In order to help those in need during Thanksgiving, these organizations need volunteers and donations.

Sunnyvale Community Services will be providing packages of food for more than 500 families this Thanksgiving. With the help of Fish--a Christian organization made up of local churches--SCS hopes to have enough food for 525 families. Fish will donate most of the food for the families, and Sunnyvale Rotary will package the donated items.

SCS can always use additional food and volunteers, said Pat Wogen, director of volunteers. Donations of canned food, such as soups, tuna, vegetables and tomato products are needed. SCS would also appreciate donations of cereal, pasta, rice and beans. Rarely donated items, including toiletries, dish towels, dishes and other kitchen utensils, are in high demand. Monetary donations are gladly accepted and are tax-deductible.

After all the turkey has been eaten and the football games watched, SCS needs volunteers to help move supplies on Nov. 29. "It is a great way of continuing the holiday spirit," Wogen said.

To volunteer or make donations at Sunnyvale Community Services, call 738-4321.

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Onizuka Air Station will be cooking Thanksgiving dinner for more than 40 children and their families at the Ronald McDonald House--a place where critically ill children and their families can stay while they are receiving treatment. Twenty volunteers will serve the meals, and 15 families have offered to prepare the food in advance, Senior Airman George Woodward said. Donations of turkeys and other Thanksgiving supplies are desperately needed, Woodward added. To donate Thanksgiving food items, call 752-4026.

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Second Harvest Food Bank is frantically searching for volunteers and food donations. The organization launched its food drive at the beginning of the month and hopes to receive more than six million tons of food before the holidays.

Foods in high demand are tuna, peanut butter, soups and powdered milk, said Julie Scopazzi, public relations officer for Second Harvest Food Bank.

"More than 16,000 chickens and turkeys are needed for Thanksgiving," she said. "We need chickens because there are a lot of people who live alone or simply do not have someplace they could cook a turkey."

Monetary donations can help the organization purchase items that are not usually donated, Scopazzi said. "One dollar equals approximately four pounds of food," she said.

People to deliver food to senior citizens, volunteers to sort and package food items and renewal teams to interview recipients are also in demand. Bilingual volunteers are especially needed, Scopazzi said.

To make donations or volunteer at Second Harvest Food Bank, call 800/870-FOOD.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, November 12, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.