Ellen Engel

Reach Out Sun Lakes has completed its 10th year of service to Matthew’s Crossing Food Bank of Chandler with a record 2017 collection of 5,305 pounds of staple foods (that is over two-and-a-half tons!), plus $5,239 in cash contributions to help purchase foods that cannot be donated (such as fresh fruits and vegetables and fresh meats).

The specific totals for December were as follows: Sun Lakes Bridge Club, 42 pounds of food and $280 in cash; Sun Lakes Democratic Club, 143 pounds of food and $30 in cash; Unity of Sun Lakes, 10.5 pounds of food and $350; and the general donations box at the Sun Lakes Country Club yielded a total of 271 pounds.

All those foodstuffs and dollars have contributed substantially toward satisfying the needs of over 600 local families that depend heavily upon charities like Matthew’s Crossing for their very survival.

Any Sun Lakes resident may contribute at established pickup points sponsored by the Sun Lakes Duplicate Bridge Club and the Sun Lakes Democratic Club. Membership in these clubs is not a criterion. In fact, many individual donors from all over Sun Lakes show up at these two club-sponsored pickup points: The Bridge Club pickup takes place at the Risen Savior Lutheran Church on Alma School Road on the first Monday of each month, 12:30-1:20 p.m., and the Sun Lakes Democratic Club accepts contributions on the second Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Sun Lakes Country Club (SLCC).

For those who cannot make it to the formal pickup locations at specific times, a collection point is also open during normal business hours at the SLCC clubhouse for people who cannot make their drop-offs at either of the regular pickup times.

Reach Out Sun Lakes always welcomes willing volunteers who spend several hours a month helping to handle the collections at our donation locations and assisting with other simple tasks related to delivery to the food bank, program bookkeeping, etc.

The food bank itself, located at 1368 Arizona Avenue in Chandler, also needs volunteers on a regular basis. If interested, please call 480-857-2296 and join the many Sun Lakers who already donate time and effort at Matthew’s Crossing.

For information, to arrange for your organization’s support of this worthwhile program or to volunteer as a collector for Reach Out Sun Lakes, please contact Ellen Engel at 480-802-0425 or email [email protected].