Ellen Engel
We lost one of our volunteers in January. Paul McNeese had been volunteering with us for 10 years and was an amazing contributor to our volunteer group. We will miss his contribution to “Reach Out Sun Lakes” that began back in January 2009.
Food banks have been struggling to keep up with the greater increase in demand due to the shutdown of the Federal Government. Please consider donating for the good of these individuals who were not getting paid. Food banks have struggled to keep up, and the shelves are depleted.
The two-month totals for each of our major organizational donors were as follows: Sun Lakes Duplicate Bridge Club, 34 pounds of food and $221.00; Sun Lakes Democratic Club, 241 pounds of food and $120.00; Unity of Sun Lakes, 42 pounds of food and $319.00; the Sun Lakes Jewish community, 205 pounds of food; and Sun Lakes Country Club, 204 pounds. Thank you, Sun Lakes.
Matthew’s Crossing serves over 600 Chandler families — so the need is great, and any Sun Lakes resident may contribute at established pickup points sponsored by the Sun Lakes Duplicate Bridge Club and the Sun Lakes Democratic Club. Other local organizations, including the Sun Lakes Jewish congregation and Unity of Sun Lakes, also make regular contributions and donations – and your organization can do so as well.
Membership in local clubs and congregations is not a criterion for contributing. In fact, many individual donors show up at these two club-sponsored pickup points from all over Sun Lakes. The Bridge Club pickup takes place at the Risen Savior Lutheran Church on Alma School Road from 12:30 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. on the first Monday of each month, 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 Sun Lakes Country Club.
The food bank itself, which is located at 1368 Arizona Avenue in Chandler, also needs volunteers on a regular basis. If this opportunity interests you, please call their volunteer coordinator at 857-2296.
For further information, to arrange for organizational support for this very worthwhile program or to volunteer your own personal services, please contact Ellen Engel at 480-980-6841 or email her at [email protected].