The Holiday Food and Gift Basket program wishes to thank the communities of Oak Park, River Forest and beyond for the amazing support of our annual food and gift drive. Every sponsored person received both a food gift certificate and gifts for their families during this holiday season.
To begin to understand how many generous people offered time, money and gifts, we want to offer a group thank you to everyone who contributed in a myriad of ways:
Donors who contributed to the food certificates and basic costs of the program
Case managers and social workers who worked so hard to get us the names and wish lists of recipients
Addressers, labelers and stampers who got sponsors their shopping lists
Sponsors who shopped and wrapped the presents for thousands of people, or who bought gift certificates so that everyone would receive something
United Lutheran Church, which basically turned most of its church over to us for a week
Drop-off helpers, who carried, sorted, alphabetized, made phone calls and did whatever was asked
Delivery people who loaded cars, dealt with questions, directed traffic and moved continuously to fill cars with bags of gifts
Drivers who, with the help of the Oak Park Police Department, began arriving before 8 a.m. and had all of the gifts delivered before 11 a.m.
Thank you, thank you and thank you.
Marcia Alpert, Mary Jane Welter and Valerie Woods
Program Coordinators, Holiday Food and Gift Basket program
