Table Talk, Fall 2018: Food Security Starts With You

11/16/2018

As I write to you, the Amesbury Market is bustling with shoppers picking out their turkeys and bagging up their squash and potatoes and all the other essentials that they’ll prepare for a Thanksgiving feast with their family and friends. Volunteers are cheerfully meeting and greeting and holiday spirit is alive and present!
Now is always a busy time of year, this year being no different. In fact, when we opened our doors yesterday, we had already pre-registered 900 households for Thanksgiving and Christmas groceries (100 more than we served last year) and more are registering each day. But thanks to the more than 100 volunteers working this week and the continued support of a community always ready to rise to the challenge, every guest at our door will leave with arms full of groceries for the week and all the fixings needed for a holiday to be thankful for.
It may feel like magic, but the truth is happy Thanksgivings start with YOU. For all this, for your support, I extend my heartfelt thanks and share sincere gratitude on behalf of the Board and staff, and most importantly our guests. If you’ve made your gift this year, know that your generosity is already at work. And if you’re thinking about what or how much to give this holiday season, know your donation not only puts meals on your neighbor’s table today, it wraps her in a community that feeds her hope for tomorrow.

We wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.

Warm Wishes,
Lyndsey Haight
Executive Director

ONT Comes to Newburyport

ONT is excited to officially announce the opening of a weekly market in Newburyport. The program opened in June thanks to a partnership with Community Service of Newburyport and is currently serving residents of Newburyport, Newbury and West Newbury every Thursday, 11:00am – 2:00pm. After years of partnering on referring local residents to each agency’s services, CSN’s move to their new location at St. Paul’s Church in 2018 was the catalyst to bring ONT and CSN’s strengths and resources under one roof. The soft opening in June allowed both organizations to get settled in and work out any challenges. CSN officially welcomed the community at their ribbon-cutting on October 22nd, and both organizations are now looking forward to getting the word out. Read more about what impact ONT is making in Newburyport.

ONT Annual Breakfast Celebrates Impact

This year's Annual Breakfast was an inspiring morning celebrating the collective impact of the community joining together to create food security. Dr. Gail Fayre of Anna Jacques Hospital, volunteer Bob Murciak and board member Kellyn Nahas bravely shared their own stories with the group. (pictured here right to left with emcee Dana Marshall)
Read more about the breakfast and 2018 impact. #whatsyourstory

The Holidays Have Arrived at ONT!

Volunteer Spotlight- Emily White

The holidays are a special time and ONT is thrilled to once again help guests celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas in their own home with groceries from ONT. This week, volunteers are helping over 900 households get their Thanksgiving groceries at our Markets. In addition to specialty holiday fixings, each individual or family gets the choice of a turkey or super chicken and a $10 local supermarket gift card to purchase additional special items ONT might not have on hand.
Next month, the market will be filled with holiday groceries again for special hours December 11th- 15th.
To help with holiday distribution as a volunteer or to sign up for holiday groceries, please call our office, 978-388-1907.

If you ask Emily White why she volunteers, she’ll tell you that she likes to be “part of a local solution.” Emily volunteers in the ONT office and organizes home grocery delivery bags every week. “It’s my favorite day of the week,” she says about her Wednesdays with ONT. A mom of 4, Emily has brought her children to volunteer with her at ONT to teach them to give back to their community.

Emily told us that she enjoyed the fulfillment of volunteering when she began last fall, but it has grown into something greater as she realized how special the Our Neighbors’ Table community is. Read more about Emily in this month's Volunteer Spotlight!

Upcoming at ONT

Dinner with Santa
Santa is making his annual visit to the Wednesday Meal on Dec. 12! Join us for pictures with Santa, carolers and lots of holiday cheer!

Holiday Schedule
The ONT Office, the Market and the Wednesday Meal are all open normal hours on Wednesday, November 21. The Meal will be pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, fresh vegetable and soup of the day. The ONT Office and all programs will be closed Thursday - Sunday for the Thanksgiving Holiday (Nov. 22 - 25).

We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving with their loved ones!

Check out the full list of holiday events and hours here!

Donate

Community Food Drives
Nov. 17: You have 2 choices for donating food to ONT on Saturday!

Scouting for Food: You can leave your food at your house for the Scouts to pick up.
Fill A Cruiser: Donate food at Stop & Shop in partnership with the Amesbury, Salisbury & West Newbury Police.
The Georgetown Police will also be collecting food at Crosby's Marketplace on Nov. 17.

Nov. 22: Booster Food Drive at Amesbury v. Newburyport football game

Thinking about your charitable giving this time of year?

Not sure what to get that friend who has everything? Need a hostess gift? Give the gift of food security through a donation in their honor to ONT! When you donate online, your email donation receipt includes a card at the bottom that you can print and give for the holidays or for your special occasion. ONT will also send a notification letter if you provide the persons's name and address in the designated fields.

Ask if your company offers a matching gift program. Many companies do as a benefit to their employees and will match your generosity to ONT. If you need assistance, please reach out to Lesley.

Thinking about your year-end gift? According to IRS regulations, it must be postmarked by Dec. 31 in order to count for your 2018 taxes, regardless of the date on the check. Or you can donate online before 11:59pm!

Thank you to our 2018 Great Neighbors!

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