For the 12th consecutive year, Judy’s Pantry, with the help of a community-wide food drive, provided Cape Elizabeth families in need of healthy food with Thanksgiving meals with all the fixings. The Thanksgiving distribution took place from our church’s Narthex on Tuesday, November 15. A total of 37 families were served through the distribution.

Cape’s Amy Lombardo and Jen Tinsman arranged for Cape families to contribute large bins of food, including stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, pie shells and canned pumpkin, canned vegetables, dinner rolls, roasting pans, sparkling cider, candies, nuts and more. Each family also received a gift certificate for a turkey.

In addition to the bins of food, each family received a bag of fresh produce, including carrots, potatoes, onions, squash, and apples, provided to the Pantry by Jordan’s Farm at a significant discount.

Each family also received two loaves of mini holiday breads baked by members of our church, including ones prepared and baked by some of our church’s youngest members and friends. A total of 72 loaves were made available to the Pantry by the church.

Each of the produce bags were decorated by Lisa Stevens and her daughter Rosie. The decorations included colored pencils to use on Thanksgiving-theme drawings inside the bags.

Families picked up the bins and bags in the church parking lot over a two-hour period Tuesday afternoon. Members of the Pantry carted each bin and bag out to the awaiting cars. Four of the distributions were driving to families unable to drive to the church by members of the Lions Club.

Thank you to all the Pantry volunteers led by Beth Owens, Amy Lombardo, Jen Tinsman, Lisa Stevens and Rosie, Jordan’s Farm, the church bread-makers, the Lions Club, and all others who once again made this incredible community effort possible. Happy Thanksgiving!