TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - This time of year, many of us are stocking up on candy. But volunteers with local food pantries are looking beyond Halloween, and are getting ready to hand out Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.
Barb Kovacs-Newbury has a passion for helping. She's been donating her time and talents to the community through Help Feed Toledo Area since 2016. She tells 13abc, "The need is out there. I feel bad. I know I have a meal, so should everybody else."
And with Thanksgiving around the corner, she's collecting food now.
Outlining the needs this time of year, she explains: "Of course, the big one is the turkey. We don't accept the turkey until two weeks prior to our November 24 distribution. But we always need gravy, stuffing, real potatoes, desserts, juice."
She also collects and hands out backpacks, Halloween costumes, Easter baskets and personal hygiene items. Families who need her help for Thanksgiving can apply through the Help Feed Toledo Area Facebook. starting in just two weeks.
Barb says families can sign up for Thanksgiving assistance on November 1st, and Christmas assistance on December 1st. She explains that Help Feed Toledo Area can only hand out 100 meals for Thanksgiving on average, and families are chosen at random to receive the meals after they apply.
Another local organization will also open their registration for holiday help next month. Oregon Health and Welfare volunteers distribute food and more.
Yvonne Thoma-Patton explains, "We do kids' toys, lots of other things, personal hygiene items, cleaning supplies. Things that you can't get on food stamps or you don't have the extra money to buy those things. The simple things that we take for granted and they don't really take those things for granted because it's just something that they don't have."
She says that since Oregon Health and Welfare doesn’t have a Thanksgiving distribution, the Christmas assistance can be bigger. She estimates around 250 households have received their help each year in the last few years.
Yvonne says that anyone who wants to sign up for assistance can do so every Monday in November from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the Oregon Municipal Building. Applicants must bring an ID and income information for everyone in the household. Donation boxes will be placed in businesses and schools around Oregon for anyone interested in making donations of food, toys or other items. Yvonne says donations are handed out during the week before Christmas. If you have questions about applying or donating, you’re encouraged to call (419) 836-0559.
