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Thanksgiving Baskets for Goodman Community Center

10/12/2020 05:44:01 PM

Oct12

Each fall our Religious School families have collected cans and boxes of food for the Goodman Community Center, helping to fill baskets with all the ingredients needed for a Thanksgiving meal. We set up a friendly competition: each grade brings in its assigned item, such as cans of cranberry sauce or green beans, and the grade that collects the most items wins a prize. The items pile up in the cloakroom in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, and parents rush in at the last minute with cases from Costco to see if they can put their child's grade over the top. The Kindergartners are the defending champs.

This year, of course, it will be different. The Goodman Community Center expects to see an all-time high demand for baskets and has set a goal of 4,000 baskets (500 more than last year) serving 22,000 individuals. Second Harvest Foodbank is predicted a 60% increase in food insecurity nationwide. Families of all income levels are getting hit hard because of this pandemic, and we want to do our part to help! 

Various congregants have volunteered their porches as collection sites, so you can drop off items to any of these locations:

  • Sauer: 926 Sauk Ridge Trail, Madison WI 53717
  • Riley: 1 Ramsgate Circle, Madison, WI 53717
  • Staresinic: 6733 Gaylord Nelson Rd., Middleton WI 53562
  • Paler: 9409 Eagle Nest Lane, Middleton WI 53562
  • Swedarsky (East side): 1819 Rutledge Street, Madison WI 53704
  • Robbins/Friedman: 18 Chippewa Court, Madison WI 53711
  • Kassel: 2023 Range Trail, Verona, WI 53593

Alternatively, you can make a monetary donation online at goodmancenter.org/donate. On the donation form, enter Temple Beth El in answer to the question “This gift is part of the Food Drive organized by:”. Just $70 will provide a full meal for one family. Monetary donations also help purchase perishable items such as turkeys. 

We are collecting these items until noon on Sunday, November 22:

  • Boxes of macaroni and Cheese (4K & Kindergarten)
  • Boxes of stuffing (1st grade)
  • Aluminum roaster pans (2rd grade)
  • Cans of fruit (3rd grade)
  • Cans of vegetables (4th grade)
  • Broth, any kind (5th grade)
  • Cans of cranberry sauce (6th grade)
  • Gravy (7th grade)

Last year, we collected 452 items and monetary donations to help Goodman Community Center reach their goal of 3,500 baskets. With a larger goal this year, we hope we can increase our contribution as well.

Thanks for giving so many grateful families a holiday meal to enjoy together!

April 25, 2024 17 Nisan 5784