![]() Growing up in an Italian family, I was immersed in the culture of food. I believe that good food is more than just sustenance. Food unites us all as human beings. Food is a common thread and a significant part of our culture. Mom taught me the importance of good food and nutrition and how important bringing the family together around the dining table was to our culture. For people with scarce economic resources, a regular source of nutritious food at little or no cost is a tremendously vital component of their existence. My mom, Angeline, was a wonderful cook, and a great collector of recipes. As part of my work as Executive Director of the Amesbury and Merrimac Housing Authorities, I published a regular newsletter for our residents and would always include some of Mom’s recipes on the back page, under the heading The Recipe Lady. The residents loved these recipes, not only because they were delicious, but because they used common, inexpensive ingredients and seasonings – perfect for anyone on a budget who loves great food. I was introduced to Our Neighbors' Table during my tenure at the housing authorities. Once I became aware of the mission and the good work that was being performed by ONT, I became a devotee. Our Neighbors' Table was a force of good that would assist our residents in a multitude of ways, not the least of which was to enhance “food security” by providing good nutrition, on a regular basis. Over the last decade, I have seen Our Neighbors’ Table expand its mission and outreach, even in the midst of difficult economic times for small charities. I get deeply involved in causes that I believe in, and Our Neighbors’ Table is one of my favorite charities. My participation in Our Neighbor’s Table was so important to me before my mom passed away in 2014 at the age of 97; and now especially after her death, it is a way I can continue to honor her and stress those things that were very important to her. To honor my mother and to keep her memory alive, I have put together the best of her recipes in a cookbook called, appropriately, The Recipe Lady. The initial run of the “The Recipe Lady” cookbook will be paid for in full by my family to honor this great lady. All of the proceeds will go directly to Our Neighbors’ Table. One of the single most important aspects of mom’s life was “La Famiglia” (the family). I am sure she would be very pleased to know that her recipe collection will benefit families in need and give them the opportunity to gather together each day around the dinner table with a wonderful meal to nourish their bodies, minds and spirit. Working with charities is an American Tradition. For me, the most important contribution I can make is to assure that elders, the disabled, and especially families with children have access to good nutrition. It's getting back to the basics. And it's about staying local.
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![]() It's too hot to cook, so come out with your family and friends and have fun for a great cause! The Ale House is hosting a party to celebrate Tom Brady's birthday AND to support Our Neighbors' Table on Monday, August 3, 6:00pm. The event is open to the public and will feature a live drawing for a pair of tickets to see Tom Brady and the New England Patriots play at Gillette Stadium (Sect 204) and a framed, autographed action photo of the MVP Quarterback! Tickets are being sold through August 1st at the ONT office or online. In addition to the live drawing for the Pats tickets, the Ale House has also secured lots of other fun prizes, including a pair of BRUINS TICKETS to be raffled off that night! Remember, this event is open to the public, so get there early! And get your Patriots Raffle tickets now! Thank you to ONT Board member Frank Childs for donating the tickets, to the New England Patriots for the autographed photo, and to Newburyport Framers for generously providing the custom framing. ![]() ONT will be hosting a food drive this Saturday, July 18th, 9a-3p, at the Market Basket in Rowley. We're hoping to fill our box truck to help keep our food pantry programs stocked through the summer. Most people think of holding a food drive during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. But the reality is hunger is prevalent in our community year-round. Summer months are particularly hard for families whose children typically get free- and reduced- meals at school. 1 out of every 8 children and more than 1 out of every 5 seniors in our area are facing hunger and need our help. Join us on Saturday, 9am-3pm, at Market Basket, Rte. 1, Rowley, and donate non-perishable food items and toiletries to help us keep food on our neighbors' tables all year. Check out our wishlist for our most-needed items. See you Saturday! The 2015 Align Credit Union Rock CAN Run raised nearly $4,000 to support ONT's food pantry programs! Now in it's second year, the Rock CAN Run, organized by 10-year old Andre Bailin and his friends, continues to grow and bring in great support for ONT. More than 100 runners, walkers and supporters of all ages turned up on June 14th for One Loud, Hard Mile up Po' Hill carrying bags of donated food and toiletries. This year's event featured celebrity runners Rep. Jim Kelcourse, Sen. Kathleen O'Connor Ives, and former Amesbury Chamber Executive Director Melissa Cerasuoulo. ONT sends a huge thank you to Andre and Eli Bailin and their entire team, to our celebrity runners, and to all of the runners and walkers who made the hard climb. And thank you to Align Credit Union for being our title sponsor! We'll see you all again next year!
When people lose their jobs or their homes and need somewhere to turn
They come to Our Neighbors' Table and there they get help and they also learn. You will find the people there are friendly and kind In today's world that is such a rare find. People from all walks of life have been making the time to share For at Our Neighbors' Table you are always welcome there. The old, the young, and everyone in between At Our Neighbors' Table today can be seen. And there is so much more to Our Neighbors' Table than many ever see There is compassion, hope, help and company for you, for me. Volunteers will see what it is like to be someone in need And see the faces, hear the stories of those whom your donations feed. So give a little bit of your time to lend a hand For at Our Neighbors' Table volunteers are always in demand Please donate, drop by, help out, come by today For you will feel much better After making a difference to someone somehow in some way. ![]() Amesbury Police Department will host its annual Fill-A-Cruiser Food Drive on Saturday, November 22nd for the 10th year in a row! Officer Tom Hanshaw has been leading this initiative year after year. What keeps him going? I continue to help out because I see the need in our own community on a daily basis. Young families, single moms, senior citizens and people who develop health issues depend on ONT. Hosting the Fill A Cruiser is that little bit we can do as a group to help out. Once again, members of the APD will partner up with local students and volunteers to collect your donations in front of Stop & Shop, Amesbury, from 9am - 2pm on the Saturday before Thanksgiving - the busiest food shopping day of the year! The event is boosted by the support from the local shops in the Carriagetown Plaza, including Papa Ginos, who provides free pizza to the volunteers, and Stop & Shop who provide coffee and hot chocolate and really help to promote the drive inside their store. RTN Credit Union will be accepting donations all week leading up to the drive. Whether you're shopping on Saturday or can just swing by to drop off donations you've picked up earlier in an another place, ultimately this day is a success because of YOU! Every week, volunteers put in almost 300 hours to help put food on a neighbor's table. And every week, more than 200 families are nurtured and nourished as a result. Right now, ONT has some volunteer openings that are waiting for YOU!
Do you like to shop? Help our guests "shop" in our pantry each Friday and Saturday. We have openings throughout November and December and are especially in need of volunteers to sign up for Friday and Saturday, January 2nd and 3rd. Friday shifts run 10am-1:30pm; Saturdays shifts are 9am-12:30pm. If you are available and want to pick up shifts, please email Betty. Haven't volunteered before? Fill out our volunteer application and email it to [email protected] today! You must be at least 16 years old to fill these shifts.
Do you like to pick things up and put things down? We are looking for some strong, physically active individuals to help us set up and break down our pantry on Fridays and Saturdays. Must be comfortable lifting up to 50 pounds at a time. No kidding! Fridays - 8am - 10:30am; 12pm - 2pm Saturdays - 7:30am - 9:30am; 11am - 1pm Also looking for individual who would be able to help our guests carry groceries to their cars. Fridays, 10:30am - 1pm, and Saturdays, 9:30am-12pm. Email Lori if you are interested and available! STUDENTS!!! All of these volunteer opportunities count as community service hours! Yes, even dancing around like a chicken! ![]() As we approach the holidays, so many of you are thinking of ways to give back. ONT is lucky to have such a generous community. In Amesbury, our busy food drive season kicked off with a bang with great drives organized by AHS students at the election polls and Scout Packs 4 & 7 in their annual Scouting for Food Drive. Combined, these drives brought in $1800 and more than 2,000 pounds of food! Thank you, all, for such a great job! And the season is just beginning. Through November 21st, students at Amesbury High School and the Cashman Elementary School can participate in various food and penny collections. And, on Saturday, November 22nd, the Amesbury Police Department will be hosting the 10th Annual Fill-A-Cruiser Food Drive at Carriagetown Plaza in front of Stop & Shop from 9am-2pm. If you're going to the Amesbury-Newburyport Thanksgiving Football Game, the Boosters from both rival cities will host their annual food collection. And, in case food drives aren't what you're looking for, you can host your own event. What better reason to have a party than to celebrate the holidays and invite your friends and family to support your favorite organization - Our Neighbors' Table? New this year - ONT now has a Giving Tree Program! Host a Giving Tree in your home or place of business, complete with tags for donations that will help feed your neighbors in need throughout the year. We've even created the tags for you! Email [email protected] for a complete Giving Tree kit or for tips on organizing your holiday party. Could you go a day without toilet paper? I sure couldn't. For many of our guests, something most of us take for granted is a luxury they can't afford. Each week, ONT gives one roll of toilet paper to each household who comes to our pantry. While guests may pick and choose different food items, everyone always says "yes" to this offering.
Imagine trying to get your life in order, but you don't have enough money to purchase toilet paper, soap, shampoo, or toothpaste. Imagine having to go for a job interview, but you haven't been able to brush your teeth for a week. Imagine your daughter's classmate trying to fit in, but facing ridicule because she has not been able to wash her hair. What would this do to your self confidence? At the core of ONT's mission is to serve our neighbors with kindness and dignity. Offering toiletries in our weekly pantry is just as important as providing food. These personal care items feed our guests' sense of confidence and personal dignity and support their overall health. Even if a family receives WIC or SNAP (food stamps), these benefits cannot be used to purchase essentials like soap and toilet paper. Our pantry is very low on toiletries. We need your help to continue to nurture our guests' sense of self. The next time you are shopping or clipping coupons for discounts on toothpaste or shampoo, please consider buying a few extra items for our pantry. Donations can be dropped off at our office Monday through Saturday or put in donation bins located at Citizens Bank/Stop & Shop or Vermette's Market. For more information about toiletries in our food pantry, please feel free to contact our Pantry Director, Lori Townsend. ![]() On June 28th, more than 50 runners turned out to climb Po' Hill and raise food and money for Our Neighbors' Table. It was the very first Rock CAN Run Road Race, organized by one of Our Neighbors’ Table’s youngest volunteers – Andre Bailin. Andre is 9 years old, and in the 3rd grade at Amesbury Elementary School. He has been involved with road races his whole life, and, this year, put his experience to good use with his first event to benefit Our Neighbors’ Table. The Rock CAN Run Road Race was a one mile run up Pow Wow Hill starting at the Nicholas Costello Transportation Center. Despite the hot temperatures, dozens of enthusiastic runners lined the starting line and ran to the top - nearly all of them carrying heavy bags of canned goods for ONT's pantry. The run is difficult climb, but for most it's over in less than 30 minutes. For the thousands of people facing hunger in our region, hunger is an uphill climb every day. The Rock CAN Run collected more than 12 crates of food and $800 to help ONT make that climb a little easier for our neighbors. At the end of the run, participants enjoyed Turkey Hill ice cream provided by 104.1FM and a beautiful view to the Atlantic from Batchelder Park. Andre and his family even hosted runners back at his house for live music and refreshments! Way to go Andre! You are an inspiration for generations to come! |
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