The Anderson Ferry Food Pantry is gearing up for a big Christmas giveaway.
While they're used to giving out food, they will also give away coats and toys in 2018 thanks to two big donations. It’s a big comeback after a year of setbacks for the pantry. (WKRC)
DELHI TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKRC) - The Anderson Ferry Food Pantry is gearing up for a big Christmas giveaway.
While they're used to giving out food, they will also give away coats and toys in 2018 thanks to two big donations. It’s a big comeback after a year of setbacks for the pantry.
For the Caito family, giving back to the community is a family affair, but a toy donation to the food pantry at Anderson Ferry Christian Church was Anna Caito’s idea.
“It gets me excited because I get to know that they will have a good Christmas, and I don't have to worry that they might not get anything,” said the 12-year old.
This is the first year Anna has donated to the Anderson Ferry Food Pantry. In year's past, she's done the same for Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
“I had to have an emergency surgery and I spent a week in the hospital at Children's and they helped me a lot, and I realized that they didn't have a lot of games with pieces and everything, so I donated in third grade,” said Anna.
She saw the need at Anderson Ferry and enlisted her mom to help donate 50 toys. Tuesday, the family unloaded 150 donated toys at the food pantry.
“This year it was really nice because they knew they were going to give toys to kids in their own community, so it's nice,” said Sara Caito, Anna’s mother. “People always laugh about living on the west side and staying on the west side, but this is a community that really cares about each other."
The pantry director says Anna’s toy drive adds to what has already been a fantastic year of giving. The food pantry is giving away toys and 170 brand new coats.
"Overwhelming, that's all I can say. Overwhelming. It's humbling,” said Terry Camele, who has worked at the pantry for eight years.
The overwhelming donations come after a trying year for the food pantry.
“We had two floods. One did a lot of damage and we had to shut down, which we don't like to do because we have to feed people and give food to the people that need it, so it was hard,” said Camele.
But this Christmas season, the pantry is back open and ready to serve.
“Our God has been so good to us this year, and that's what we want,” said Camele.
And when it comes to giving this Christmas season, take it from Anna.
“Really, anything helps,” said Anna.
Registration for the coat and toy giveaway is now closed. The food pantry says about 70 families will be served at the giveaway this Saturday.
