CHUM Receives Anonymous $18,000 Donation For Thanksgiving Dinners

It'll be a more 'thankful' Thanksgiving for 300 families this year!  The CHUM Food Shelf was the recipient of an anonymous check from a donor this week totaling $18,000 - enough to provide the food needed to fill those Thanksgiving dinner boxes that the organization provides to families in need.

According to the story from our news partner WDIO-TV, the donation will cover all of CHUM's costs involved with providing the holiday meal for families in our community this year.

The anonymous check came after the agency asked the Twin Ports community for help.  Holidays are always hard for a lot of families, but especially so with the pandemic and the resulting economic situation. Officials with the CHUM Food Shelf say that rising costs of food have played out in "an increase in the number of visitors looking for food assistance".

Scott Van Daele, the Director of Distributive Services at CHUM shared the agencies gratefulness:

"Once again, our community stepped up and came through.  It feels amazing to know that we will be able to serve so many friends and neighbors this holiday, and to provide the quality ingredients to make this holiday meal so special."

The $18,000 donation will go a long way towards helping and will completely cover the costs of those 300 Thanksgiving meals.  Details released by the CHUM Food Shelf demonstrate how the money will be put to use - buying:

• 300 Turkeys
• 25 cases of Sweet Potatoes
• 300 boxes of Stuffing
• 25 cases of Green Beans
• 25 cases of Corn
• 25 cases of Cranberry Sauce
• 25 cases of Macaroni and Cheese
• 300 boxes of Mashed Potatoes
• 25 cases of Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 300 jars of Gravy
• 25 cases of Canned Pumpkin

Its worth noting that even though the Thanksgiving meal boxes have been provided for, there is always a need in the Northland and CHUM helps provide that. Van Daele shared that the agency gives away "almost 250 full boxes of food every week".