Mid Hudson Times Oct. 21 2015 | Page 3

3 Mid Hudson Times, Wednesday, October 21, 2015 Newburgh Loaves and Fishes Giving Day set for Nov. 24 By SHANTAL RILEY [email protected] Newburgh Loaves and Fishes is gearing up for its celebrated Thanksgiving Giving Day event on Nov. 24. The organization is encouraging people to sign up as soon as possible to receive free Thanksgiving dinners to prepare at home. “We really need people to sign up so we know how much food we need,” said event Vice Chairman Stephen Auffredou, noting the sign-up cut-off date of Nov. 12. People may sign up at various locations around the City of Newburgh to receive the meals. “We’ll do our ordering based on the sign-ups,” said Auffredou. True to the spirit of the Bible story for which it is named, Newburgh Loaves and Fishes aims to collect enough food donations to provide thousands of Thanksgiving dinners. “We collect the food items and, like the loaves and fishes story, it is amazing to see how the food multiplies,” the non-profit stated in a press release this month. Meals will be distributed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24 at the First United Methodist Church on Liberty Street. Families and individuals will receive complete Thanksgiving dinners, including a frozen turkey, to cook at home. The organization anticipates it will provide food assistance to more than 1,250 families in the Newburgh area this Thanksgiving. Last year, the non-profit supplied 1,108 families with the makings for a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal. Newburgh Loaves and Fishes Thanksgiving dinner sign-up location and times: St. George’s Church: 105 Grand Street Wed, Fri: 10 - 11 a.m. Grace United Methodist Church: 468 Broadway, back of church off Van Ness Thurs: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Newburgh Armory: 321 S. William St., 2nd floor. (Fridays) Oct. 23, Oct. 30, Nov. 6: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Lois Piva Volunteers at the 2014 Newburgh Loaves and Fishes Giving Day event. Donations come by way of churches, businesses, generous individuals and community organizations. But, Auffredou said, more donations are needed. As of last week, the non-profit still needed about $25,000 worth of food and financial donations to support this year’s giving day event. Donations of canned cranberry sauce, boxed stuffing, bags of rice, canned or bagged beans, packaged gravy, instant potatoes and canned vegetables – such as green beans, yams and corn - may be dropped off at the church on Monday, Nov. 23. Food donations will be accepted at the church beginning at 8 a.m. Formed by a network of churches, ministries, individuals and charitable agencies, Newburgh Loaves and Fishes coordinates food services to the needy in time for Thanksgiving each year. Volunteers are asked to go the First United Methodist Church hall beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 23 and by 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24. “If they want to work an hour or the entire day, that’s fine,” said Auffredou. He added, “This is about the entire New City Partners: 271 Broadway, entrance on Mill St. Tues: 11:30 a.m - 2 p.m. First United Methodist Church: 245 Liberty St. Oct. 21, Oct. 26, Oct. 28: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. community getting together for a good cause.” First United Methodist Church is located at 245 Liberty St. To make a tax-deductible financial donation to Newburgh Loaves and Fishes, send a check or money order made out to Newburgh Loaves and Fis