As Windsor ramps up for the holidays, turkey food basket donations are in full swing with both the Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association and Celebration of Praise International Church distributing baskets to Windsor’s less fortunate, Saturday.
Starting early, the not-for-profit CIBPA collaborated with Windsor Goodfellows for their third annual turkey donation. More than 250 people were invited from Goodfellows, but organizer of the event and past-president of CIBPA, Carl Grossi, said there was enough food for 300 on hand.
“Christmas time and the holiday season is a time of giving,” Grossi said. “We would like to see people who are less fortunate, people who don’t have very much, to be able to have something and to put a smile on their face.”
CIBPA raises funds and raffles items throughout the year and donates the proceeds to organizations like the Windsor Regional Hospital as well as funding CIBPA programs like seniors’ outings.
The association bought the turkeys and potatoes, while the soup, bread and other goodies in the baskets were donated by other businesses in the community. CIBPA president Claudio Silvaggi said many of those who provided the food did so at a greatly reduced price or donated them.
“We know there is a lot of hardship in Windsor right now,” Silvaggi said. “All net proceeds from our club go right back into the community.”
Morena Smith, 30, said she was grateful CIBPA offered the food baskets.
“It helps out for people who don’t have a lot of money to feed their family,” she said. “People shouldn’t have to choose whether to get food or presents for their kids.”
Smith, who is on a fixed income from the Ontario Disability Support Program, said the food will last her and her two young children for over a week.
Two hours later, Pastor Mel Freeman and his wife, Pastor Kim Freeman, were organizing boxes of food into rows on pews while Christmas music played throughout the old Mt. Zion church, now the non-denominational Celebration of Praise International Church.
The husband-wife pastor team started the church seven months ago in order to address the growing need in the community. This is the first year they have offered turkey food baskets.
“There are so many people who have come to the church asking for help and we have really felt moved to help as much as we can,” said Mel Freeman. “We want to show people that the church is not here to take, but rather to give.”
After the success of the ministry’s fundraising musical, A Christmas Wish, the pastors bought all the food they could: 125 baskets, enough to feed about 1,000 people.
“It’s about showing people we care about them before we try an preach to them,” said Kim Freeman.
Chris Foster, 27, whose just welcomed newborn twins into his family, said the food basket will really help. This is only his second time ever accessing a food bank, but he said the food will go a long way.
“It’s very welcoming here,” he said. “It means a lot to have this because now I’ll be able to have a nice Christmas dinner.”
Connor Rodrigues, 10, holds a sign offering free turkey boxes outside the Mt. Zion Full Gospel Church in downtown Windsor, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. The church was giving out free boxes of turkey dinners for Christmas. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
A box full of food is prepared to be given out at the Canadian Italian Business Professional Association’s Christmas turkey donation at the CIBPA Centre, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
People wait in line at the Canadian Italian Business Professional Association’s Christmas dinner donation outside of the CIBPA Centre, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Pastor Mel Freeman and Lisa Taylor, left, prepare free turkeys outside the Mt. Zion Full Gospel Church in downtown Windsor, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. The church was giving out free boxes of turkey dinners for Christmas. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Bags of potatoes and boxes full of turkeys sit on a flatbed truck waiting to be giving out as part of the Canadian Italian Business Professional Association’s (CIBPA) Christmas turkey donation at the CIBPA Centre, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Past president of the Canadian Italian Business Professional Association, Carl Grossi, left, gives out turkey dinners at the CIBPA Christmas turkey donation outside the CIBPA Centre, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Ezio Tartaro prepares turkeys to be given out at the Canadian Italian Business Professional Association’s Christmas turkey donation outside the CIBPA Centre, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
Derick Freeman waits to hand out free turkeys outside the Mt. Zion Full Gospel Church in downtown Windsor, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. The church was giving out free boxes of turkey dinners for Christmas. (DAX MELMER/The Windsor Star)
