Joe Pagenkopf counts bags of food in a shopping cart at the St. Vincent de Paul Juneau complex on Saturday, Nov. 18, before heading out to deliver Thanksgiving food baskets to local residents. He said it is his first time making such deliveries, which he was motivated to get after getting help when his home was nearly destroyed by the record flooding of Suicide Basin earlier this year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Joe Pagenkopf counts bags of food in a shopping cart at the St. Vincent de Paul Juneau complex on Saturday, Nov. 18, before heading out to deliver Thanksgiving food baskets to local residents. He said it is his first time making such deliveries, which he was motivated to get after getting help when his home was nearly destroyed by the record flooding of Suicide Basin earlier this year. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire file photo)

Neighbors: Letters of thanks

Thank you for Thanksgiving and clothing drives

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul wants to thank everyone who helped make our Thanksgiving Food Basket distribution a success. Over 430 food baskets were distributed throughout the Juneau Community. Donations of food and money to provide for the meals came from many individuals, the Central Labor Council, and churches organized by Love INC. National Honor Society students from Thunder Mountain High School and Raven Correspondence School assembled the food bags in an evening. A U-Haul van stored the many turkeys, some donated and some purchased by anonymous donors. Various grocers including Super Bear/IGA, Safeway, and Costco contributed to the meals through donations and special ordering of needed supplies.

On Saturday, Nov. 18, over 90 volunteers worked together, delivering food baskets in pairs throughout the community. Several came back on Tuesday and Wednesday so that as many food baskets as possible made it to families before Thanksgiving. This annual tradition is a success only because caring members of the community come together to ensure that everyone can celebrate and have something to be thankful for

In addition, several organizations including Alaska Seaplanes and the Teal Street Center collected winter clothing, hats, and gloves for the unsheltered of Juneau. These items were collected and distributed through the Warming Shelter on Thane, the Dan Austin Free Store on Teal Street, the Glory Hall, and other service organizations.

This generosity helps the neediest of Juneau and provides a ray of light in the dark of winter. Thank you.

Dave Ringle

Executive Director

Society of St. Vincent de Paul — St. Therese Conference

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