REINDEER weren’t needed for this delivery of Christmas cheer! Santa’s elves from the Food Pantry (from left): Barry Corbett, Steve O’Sullivan, Renee Bianchi and Ken Carpenter, loaded up the box truck with festively wrapped boxes and baskets filled with all the fixings for a hearty Christmas dinner to deliver to Food Pantry clients in advance of the holiday. (Teresa Sanphy Photo)
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — An additional $1,550 in donations received by the Transcript’s Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund this past week has increased the tally of the 33rd annual benefit for Christian Community Service (CCS) to $26,362.24 as it enters its final week.
CCS, the all-volunteer nonprofit organization that operates the North Reading Food Pantry, ensures over 100 families and individuals in town receive essential services throughout the year to help pay their bills and put food on their tables. All donations made by Transcript readers to our Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund have enabled these vital safety net services to be offered uninterrupted for over three decades.
CCS overwhelmed by generosity
CCS co-Chair Teresa Sanphy told the Transcript this week that she continues to be amazed by the depth of the generosity provide by the residents and the business community in North Reading to support their mission.
CCS was overwhelmed by the donations and volunteerism that has helped them bring joy to all their clients this Christmas season. Sanphy offered her heartfelt thanks to the countless people “who contributed to the wonderful Christmas meals we were able to give to our Food Pantry clients this year.” The Food Pantry’s box truck was filled to the brim on delivery day with huge festively wrapped boxes and baskets filled with all the fixings and trimmings needed for a hearty Christmas dinner. Four volunteers, Barry Corbett, Steve O’Sullivan, Renee Bianchi and Ken Carpenter, spent a rainy day spreading Christmas cheer by loading the truck and delivering the meal boxes.
Among the contributors was the entire E. Ethel Little School community, led by Little School Principal Christine Molle. The Little School contributed 20 baskets. North Reading Youth Soccer, led by Kate Schultz, contributed an additional 25 baskets. The Hilltop Nursery School for provided eight more baskets and DigSafe also provided meal baskets.
The North Reading community-at-large provided more than 60 turkeys to add to the baskets, Sanphy said.
“On Christmas Day, the Phelan family once again served up 22 delicious hot turkey meals which were delivered by the extended Esposito family,” Sanphy said. “We would also like to thank the Trinity Church for their lovely gift bags that we shared with our hot meal recipients. What a nice little treat!”
Twenty-three Food Pantry families with children were provided a happy Christmas because of the townspeople’s generosity via the CCS Take a Tag program. The wishes of the children, identified only by age, gender, clothing size and special toy requests, are listed on these tags. Those who take a tag purchase the item or items and return it to CCS for distribution to the families.
Sanphy offered special thanks to volunteers Kate Araniz and Paula Albee, along with CCS/North Reading Food Pantry board member Susan Murray, for being the quarterbacks of the Take-a-Tag program. “It would not be possible without the help of all our community elves who help distribute the tags as well,” Sanphy said.
“The Union Congregational Church’s Youth Ministry groups coordinated by Gayle McGlauflin, UCC’s Minister of Discipleship, provided such wonderful wrapping boxes for the families as well, which included items such as gift wrap, tape, gift bags, holiday treats and fun activities for the families,” added Sanphy. “How blessed we are to live is such a thoughtful and generous community.”
Final week of the fund
With the arrival of “Little Christmas” tomorrow, Friday, January 6, the 33rd annual Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund is coming to a close. We will acknowledge any last minute donations in the newspaper’s January 12 edition. If you mailed us a check or dropped off a donation for the fund to the Reading Cooperative Bank and you have not yet seen your donation acknowledged in this column over the past several weeks, or in this week’s tally listed below, please let us know at nrtranscript@rcn.com or 781-245-0080 so we can look into it.
All services provided by CCS are offered on the basis of financial need, not religious affiliation, if any, and confidentiality is assured. To inquire about services provided by CCS contact https://nrfoodpantry.org/ or call 978-276-0040 and leave a message and a volunteer will get back to you.
Do Something Nice Twice
The results of the Horseshoe Grille’s Do Something Nice Twice gift card promotion from December 1-31 will be announced next week. Patrons who purchased a $50 gift card to the Horseshoe were offered a $10 coupon for their use at the restaurant or they could choose to donate the $10 coupon value to the Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund, which the Horseshoe will match.
How to donate
The Transcript will acknowledge each donation received in print and pass all donations to CCS. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law, as CCS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Donations of $250 or more automatically receive a receipt in the mail. Upon request, a receipt will be sent to those giving less than $250. The donor must provide a valid name and address for the receipt to be mailed.
If you wish to remain anonymous please indicate that fact in the memo area of your check. You may also make donations in honor of or in memory of friends or loved ones.
Please make all checks payable to “CCS,” not the newspaper!
Checks may be mailed to: North Reading Transcript “NHNF,” 26 Albion St., Wakefield MA 01880. You may also drop them off in person to our office from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mon-Thu or 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Fridays, or use the night drop box slot opposite the door facing Albion Street after hours.
Checks may also be dropped off in person to the Reading Coop Bank, 170 Park St. (next to Ryer’s). You must specify to the bank teller your intention to make a donation to the Transcript’s NHNF to ensure it is recorded on the daily tally sheet that is sent to us to acknowledge in the newspaper.
Transcript 2022 NHNF donor list, WEEK 6
• In memory of Sandra Moynihan– $300
• Royal Meadow View Center– $300
• From “an old car guy”– $250
• From Helen Maynard & Dana Rudolph– $200
• Anonymous Sailor– $150
• In memory of Ralph Douglas– $100
• From Dick Ham– $100
• From Nancy Fenton– $100
• From “a neighbor”– $50
WEEK 6 subtotal …..………………. $1,550.00
Previously acknowledged …………$24,812.24
NEW TOTAL ………………………… $26,362.24