Patterson Rotary Helps Brewster Thanksgiving Basket Program

BREWSTER, NY — The Rotary Club of Patterson assembled 35 full Thanksgiving dinners for local Putnam families in support of the Putnam Community Action Partnership’s Thanksgiving Basket program.

Nine baskets were delivered to Matthew Patterson Elementary School in Patterson and 26 baskets to Putnam CAP’s office in Brewster. The baskets contained home-baked items as well as pies, rolls, potatoes, apples, a gift card for a turkey purchase, and all the ingredients needed to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Rotarian Michael Ingber organized Patterson Rotary’s participation again this year. The Nov. 22 box-packing meeting was special, he said.

“It shows that when everyone contributes to create something special, it works regardless of how much or how little you do,” said Ingber. “It was heartwarming and humbling to see the support that this club [provides] every year for our community and for those not as lucky as we are.”

According to Putnam CAP Director Judy Callahan, this year the program fed just under 400 families. Last year, 425 baskets were distributed.

With the help of many individuals in the community and organizations, Putnam CAP was able to offer a complete Thanksgiving Basket to local families. Hundreds of volunteers came from many different places to assist in this effort by:

• Organizing food drives in schools, businesses, organizations, supermarkets; big and small, and neighborhoods;

• Preparing ‘complete Thanksgiving baskets with lots of goodies that make the holiday meal extra special;

• Staffing the food drives at the local supermarkets the weekend just prior to the holiday;

• Drivers using their personal vehicles to pick up the food from the supermarkets and deliver it to CAP several times per day on that weekend due to the overwhelming generosity of grocery shoppers purchasing extra items on the CAP food drive list;

• Sorting and bagging the food for the families (lots of heavy work involved here);

• Sorting and bagging the fresh produce that was collected;

• Helping to distribute the CAP Thanksgiving baskets families in need;

• Organizing CAP’s stockroom to put them back into shape for the regular food pantry re-opening on Nov. 28.

“All the local Rotary Clubs [and supermarkets] play a HUGE role in making this program a success. Patterson Rotary contributed drivers, supermarket food drive volunteers, and basket preparation,” says Callahan. “The Club delivered 26 ‘complete baskets’ to Putnam CAP…that were promptly distributed to families before the end of the day.”

In addition to helping with the food drives and Thanksgiving Baskets, The Rotary Club of Patterson supports Putnam CAP and other local charities through its own annual fundraising events - Men Who Cook, Blues & Barbecue Festival, and Touch a Truck for Heroes.

“The families are so thankful to know that our community cares for them,” adds Callahan. “Thank you everyone for being a part of this important service to Putnam families!”

PHOTOS/ Patterson Rotary