The Cupertino Courier

St. Joseph, CCS team up for holiday food drive

By Pam Marino

In this community of plenty, there are still those who go without, which is why local agencies are seeking donations to make Thanksgiving something everyone can be thankful for.

The children of St. Joseph of Cupertino Church and school are leading the way with a food drive to provide 200 Thanksgiving baskets to local needy families.

On Monday, Nov. 24, just three days before the holiday, volunteers will be dividing the food into baskets. Cupertino Community Services (CCS) chooses the families that will receive the baskets on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"We have been screening clients to make sure the people who really need it are the ones who get it," CCS executive director Mary Ellen Chell said.

Since the agency usually gets some needy people who come in after the baskets have already been distributed, Chell said anyone who wants to donate additional food or money can do so up until Nov. 26 at the agency's office at Quinlan Community Center, 10185 N. Stelling Road; the phone number is 255-8033.

Chell said CCS is also looking for people who will adopt needy families for the December holidays. CCS operates the Adopt-A-Family program for the Salvation Army in this area. Those who are willing to adopt a family buy gifts and food anonymously for the members.

Last year adopters purchased more than $40,000 worth of gifts for the families, Chell said.

Also in partnership with the Salvation Army, CCS is responsible for finding "bell ringers" to collect money in front of Target this holiday season.

Anyone interested in adopting a family should contact program director Barbara Jones at CCS. Anyone who wants to volunteer as a bell ringer is asked to call volunteer coordinator Julie Leung.

In addition to the St. Joseph/CCS food collection, Second Harvest Food Bank has a barrel at the Cupertino Library for its annual holiday food drive. The food bank needs donations of nonperishable foods, especially items such as powdered milk, baby food and peanut butter.

In last year's holiday food drive, which includes the December holidays, more than 1.5 million pounds of food and $1.4 million were collected.

For more information about Second Harvest's drive, call 266-9042.

If your school, organization or church is doing something special to help others for Thanksgiving, please call the Courier at 255-7500 as soon as possible.

Food needed

Second Harvest Food Bank reports that the following are the most needed food items this season:

* Powdered milk, 2 percent or whole in quart packages
* Peanut butter, in plastic jars
* Oatmeal
* Tuna in water
* Cereal with low or no sugar
* Baby food
* 100 percent juice
* Low-sodium canned vegetables
* Canned fruits in natural juice
* Rice
* Beans
* Macaroni and cheese
* Low-sodium soups
* Canned meat stews
* Canned chili
* Canned chicken

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