Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Friends prepare for Thanksgiving


Pictured, Alice Blodgett, left, and students from Southern New Hampshire University prepared Thanksgiving baskets this week at the Friends of Forgotten Children in Penacook.

Friends of Forgotten Children (FOFC) has sponsored and is completing their first coordinated Thanksgiving Food Basket Program for Concord and surrounding communities.
Volunteers from Southern New Hampshire University, Bishop Brady High School, Concord Loyal Order of the Moose #1374, Wal-Mart and other community volunteers put together almost 350 food baskets and distributed them to seniors and those in need without transportation.
Associated Grocers of Pembroke supplemented the donated turkeys with fruits, vegetables, and cranberry sauce which is enabling almost 350 families to enjoy a complete Thanksgiving dinner.
While picking up her food basket at Friends of Forgotten Children’s 224 Bog Road location, one woman broke into tears while thanking the volunteers for helping her.
“Nobody else would help me, thank you so much,” she said through her tears.

With the closure of the New Hampshire Help Line who used to maintain the list of those in need, FOFC assumed the role of collecting applications for Thanksgiving food baskets. The Unitarian Universalist and Latter Day Saints Churches took 115 of the names collected by FOFC to fill boxes and deliver them. Several other local churches made up food boxes that were combined with turkeys donated by Eastern Propane, Precision Finishing/Spectrum, F.L. Merrill Construction and other businesses.
Alice Blodgett, FOFC’s President of the Board of Directors, said “Thanksgiving Food Baskets are a big undertaking for us, and it has been a huge success this year because of the volunteers and donors. For those who believe they’re only giving a little are actually giving back a lot, because it enables us to help so many more people."
“It did my heart good to see one homeless gentleman volunteering his time today to help others in need,” she said.

Friends of Forgotten Children is a 501 (c) (3) public charity located at 224 Bog Road.
They happily accept small and large donations of food and non-food items, clean and serviceable clothing for all ages and new toys as well as monetary contributions. Contributions are tax deductible. Friends of Forgotten Children can be reached at 753-4801.
Submitted by William Dearborn, FOFC Executive Director.

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