Mill City Commons' 2010 Holiday Food Drive and Fundraiser is a Success

Linnea Tweed, Executive Director of Mill City Commons, shared successful results of this year's "TURKEY, DRESSINGS, and EXTRA HELPINGS" food drive and fundraising event:

"We were able to provide all the fixings for holiday dinners for 50 families in the Jordan Neighborhood, and we had enough money to add over $300 of food to their food shelf. Jeff Hamm, the Store Manager at Rainbow Foods, 3505 W Broadway, was an amazing help. This is the second year they've helped us. His staff was so friendly and helpful - they kept telling us how wonderful we were to do this. They looked for the best buys so we were able to spend about $38 per family for their holiday meals including a whole turkey or ham (we purchased 25 of each). Jeff had his bakery bake 50 pumpkin pies for us - he said it was cheaper than selling us the ingredients.  It truly was heart warming.

We loaded an SUV with sweaters, hats mittens, gloves, scarves, some winter shoes and jackets and delivered them to People Serving People.  We also delivered gifts to Exodus House for their annual Holiday Event and took a load of children's clothes and other small gift items to Mary's Place for their residents.  They have many (almost 200) homeless children in families living there."

Below, some of the 50 pies that Rainbow Foods Store Manager Jeff Hamm made sure his bakery prepared fresh the morning of the deliveries.

This initiative started 3 years ago when Mill City Commons members Delia and Tyrone Bujold were enjoying a glass of wine with friends.  They came up with the idea to do food baskets for families in need.  Their goal that first year was 25 dinner baskets - but within a few days of spreading the word, they had enough money to do 50.  Last year they decided to use Mill City Commons as the contact point so that donations could be tax-deductible.

Delia consulted Fr. Michael O'Connell for ideas on where to deliver these baskets the food.  Fr. O'Connell currently serves as Pastor of the Church of Ascension in North Minneapolis, and Delia has known him since he was Basilica Rector.   He recommended the Jordan New Life Community Church because of it's expansive outreach program. 

Many of us want to do something good at the holidays, but are strapped for time, don't know where to start, etc.  People like Delia and Tyrone, along with the volunteers from Mill City Commons, make it effortless for the rest of us to help.  Just write a check and you've given a less fortunate family a Christmas dinner, or helped stock a foodshelf - it's that simple. 

Dave and I look forward to being involved with this fundraiser next year.