The Basket Brigade of San Diego, a local non-profit group that provides Thanksgiving Day food baskets to families in need, is partnering this year with Grossmont College to recruit volunteers and donors to bring a holiday meal to hundreds, including students at the community college and their loved ones.
The group is seeking contributions and helpers to assemble and deliver food baskets from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, in the back half of the cafeteria in Griffin Center (Building 60.)
The Basket Brigade of San Diego, a local non-profit group that provides Thanksgiving Day food baskets to families in need, is partnering this year with Grossmont College to recruit volunteers and donors to bring a holiday meal to hundreds, including students at the community college and their loved ones.
The group is seeking contributions and helpers to assemble and deliver food baskets from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19, in the back half of the cafeteria in Griffin Center (Building 60.)
Gerardette Nutt, a CalWORKs program specialist at Grossmont College, said a student worker in her office got involved last year with the Basket Brigade and proposed a college partnership to bring turkey and all the fixings to more of the program’s students and their families. Some 700 students annually receive educational support and resources through the program that serves students receiving welfare.
“This is really a good event that will bring the community to our campus to benefit students and the community at large,” Nutt said, adding that in addition to her own department, staff from other college programs, including counseling and the Child Development Center, will be taking part.
The campus community and the public is invited to donate basket items and to volunteer to help feed 200 families for the Thanksgiving holiday. Frozen turkeys, laundry baskets, reusable grocery bags, grocery gift cards, ribbons and bows, as well as items to auction and raffle for fundraising are welcome. Get friends and coworkers to create baskets as a team effort to donate at the event. Here are suggested items to include in the perfect basket.
Cash donations or online donations are also accepted at www.GoFundMe.com/bbofsd
Deliveries are made anonymously to families throughout the county. Volunteers for the basket assemblies and deliveries are advised to dress comfortably and to wear closed-toed shoes. Register to volunteer by calling 858-633-7989 or going to http://basketbrigadesd.wixsite.com/thanksgiving/register
More holiday giving
Other food drives are also taking place at both colleges:
· The Grossmont College Child Development Center is accepting donations for its food pantry for children’s families. In addition to providing an observation and participation lab for students in the Child Development and Family Studies program at Grossmont College, the CDC also provides childcare services to families of students, staff, faculty and the community. For information on donating to the food pantry, call (619)-644-7715 or email maura.mehrian@gcccd.edu
· Student clubs at Grossmont College are participating in their annual Inter-Club Council Thanksgiving Food Drive competition, challenging students in the organizations to donate such Thanksgiving fare as instant mashed potatoes, jars of gravy, stuffing mix, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, pie filling and pie crust. Anyone interested in joining in the food drive through Nov. 18 can drop off non-perishable donations at the Student Affairs Office in Griffin Center, Building 60, Room 204. Gift cards and store certificates for turkeys are also accepted. For more information, contact the Inter-Club Council at 619-644-7604 or Student Affairs at (619) 644-7600.
· The Associated Student Government of Cuyamaca College is hosting a fall food drive for its Food Pantry Project. Donations of non-perishable food and toiletries are being accepted at these locations:
· Bookstore in the Student Center in the I Building
· ASGCC Office in Room I-124 in the Student Center
· Front desk of the STEM Center in the H Building
· Library in the C Building
For more information about the Food Pantry Project, email CuyamacaCollegeASG@gmail.com
· District Services has a collection box for Thanksgiving donations in the district office at the north end of Grossmont College. Items collected through Tuesday, Nov. 15, will go to the Associated Students of Grossmont College Inter-Club Council Thanksgiving Food Drive and the Cuyamaca College food pantry located at the student government office. In addition to non-perishable Thanksgiving fare, also needed are snack/lunch items such as packaged crackers, peanut butter, breakfast and fruit bars, packaged nuts or dried fruit, boxed macaroni and cheese, canned foods such as chili that can be heated in a microwave, juice boxes and bottled water.
