Thanksgiving Love: Local Woman Collects Food Donations For Needy

MATTITUCK, NY — Katie Coe, of Mattituck, may be only 25 years old but she's spent her young lifetime giving back in numerous ways, including raising money for suicide prevention, volunteering around the world and helping families ravaged by Super Storm Sandy.

And now, Coe has made it her personal mission once again this year that no family should go hungry on Thanksgiving. To that end, she's worked tirelessly during the past weeks to collect food donations.

But, ever humble, Coe refuses to take credit for her selfless act of kindness.

"I want to make it clear that I won't take any more credit for the success of this food drive than any person who made a donation or lent a hand," she said. "This kind of outcome can only be pulled off when an entire community puts forward what they can. While a few donations did come as far as upstate NY, New Hampshire, and even Los Angeles, 90% of the donations came from this community," Coe said.

Totals amounted to $1,650 and almost 20 heaping shopping carts of food, she said. "I was completely overwhelmed with everyone's generosity. The 'food room' in my house — I've done this for a few years — was as filled as its ever been with the non-perishables, and I used most of the money to buy 70 turkeys."

On Nov. 15, Coe brought 35 turkeys and 10 boxes of canned Thanksgiving sides to The Butterfly Effect Project in Riverhead — a not for profit organization aimed at empowering young girls — which were given to families who weren't in the position to buy the meal themselves, she said.

On Monday, she brought the remaining 35 turkeys and a few boxes of sides to the Crossover Christian Church in Mt. Sinai, she said; the church, she added, works with 10 school districts and with New York State Office of Children and Family Services "to find the families who need a little help during the holidays. They were able to distribute 140 full Thanksgiving meals yesterday," she said.

Finally, on Tuesday morning, a couple of friends helped bring the rest — 2 large cars full — of the general non-perishables to Community Action of Southold Town in Greenport. "It's enough to fill the pantry," Coe said.

Reflecting on why she's organized the food drive for years, Coe said it's "because of the kindness that I get to see. While a few people are hesitant because I don't have very official signs — I colored them with crayons — because I don't work for or officially volunteer for a specific organization, mostly people appreciate that I'm willing to do my part and in turn feel more encouraged to do their part. We all have different things to give, and different times in life when we'll be able to give it. For me its time, its my hands' ability to work, and mostly it's knowing how lucky I am to be able."

Over the course of 7 days at grocery stores, Coe said, "I witnessed some of the most generous donations and some of the kindest gestures. Some people had me totally lost for words, besides a huge 'thank you,' with the care they put into their donations and in meeting me. Hopefully, they'll know that they made a difference in more than one way. "

Tijuana Fulford, founder of the Butterfly Effect Program, thanked Coe on Facebook for her generosity of heart and spirit. "We appreciate all you did," for BEP, she said. "You singlehandedly ensured 35 families would have a Thanksgiving meal. We all thank you."

Patch courtesy photos.