MFCC begins holiday programs
by COURTNEY LAMDIN | Staff Writer
mireporter@mac.com
As the holiday season approaches, the Milton Family Community Center has begun its community outreach programs for Thanksgiving and Christmastime.
Give thanks, give food
Wednesday, Nov. 18 is the last day to donate to MFCC’s Holiday Food Program which aims to feed families in need of assistance. After filling out an application, families can come to the New Life Church Café on Saturday, Nov. 21 to pick up a holiday meal.
For the second year, Hannaford supermarket has joined in with its Fund-A-Feast program, where customers can buy a $10 box of food for the food program.
“The plan is that each family will have enough food for one holiday meal and to get them through a couple of more weeks,” said Charlotte Parot, MFCC family services coordinator. “They usually walk away with a good amount of food.”
The box contains pasta, canned fruit and green beans – everything but the turkey, which needs to be donated separately.
Last year, volunteers loaded 300 pounds of turkey in a large, enclosed trailer but because storage is limited this year, MFCC encourages people to donate a $10 Hannaford voucher for families to redeem for a Thanksgiving turkey, chicken or ham, Parot said.
Individual items can also be donated, but the Fund-A-Feast boxes are much easier to handle, Parot said. Last year the food program assisted 150 families.
Charlotte’s husband, Arnie Parot, transports the food from Hannaford to the church. OnTuesday, Nov. 10, Arnie loaded 63 boxes into his trailer. Last year, Milton’s Hannaford donated 700 Fund-A-Feast boxes, the most in Vermont.
“The best part is when people who really need it, get food,” Arnie Parot said. “Just knowing it’s helping people out. I am just grateful that I don’t have to be on the other end.”
Playing Santa
MFCC will also start its Toys for Kids program soon.
Four or five red barrels will be placed around town, and any toys collected in Milton will be given to Milton families.
Applications are due Wednesday, Dec. 16, and toys will be distributed Saturday, Dec. 19 at the New Life Church Café. Children can request specific toys, but usual gifts include blocks and stuffed animals for toddlers, games and crafts for younger children and watches and jewelry for teens. Parot advises children not to apply for
expensive items like video games.
“Everybody is hurting for money,” Parot said. “They’re doing the best they can in donating toys.”
Because of the poor economy, Parot has seen even middle income people who have lost their jobs apply for toy assistance this year, she said.
“People are trying desperately just to keep their homes and fuel and electricity and food,” Parot said.
Parot’s biggest challenge is coordinating volunteers and storage for these programs. Every year, she has no idea how much food or toys will come in but knows there are families that need help, she said.
Vanessa Fleming, member of the Women With Purpose group, wants to see the program expanded, she said.
“I’d like to see if we can get more people to get involved into it and want to give more gifts,” she said. “I know there’s a lot of kids who still don’t get things.”
Still, Fleming sees the holiday programs as beneficial to the community. She enjoys giving back to people, even after her own home was robbed this summer, she said.
“I look forward to doing something like this after something bad has happened to me,” Fleming said.
Parot is gracious for the donations during the holiday season, she said.
“This is the time of year community members are really generous, and they want to give,” she said. “It’s nice at the end of a year of a lot of hardships and challenges that people are still willing to be very generous than other times of the year.”
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