Giving more than thanks on Thanksgiving

One of the larger grassroots efforts has sprouted among vendors of the Flamingo Island Flea Market, which is working with Albertson's Grocery and the Lee County Sheriff's Office to identify families in need and deliver food to them.

Bonita Springs Councilman Ben Nelson and his wife Lori are helping to organize the event. They have an ambitious goal: Give 100 households enough of a feast to feed 10 people. They are looking for volunteers and any families that might still need help.

The local Catholic Charities also anticipates a great deal of hungry families. They are getting ready to provide 625 families with funds and meals to ensure they get some Thanksgiving dinner. They are giving away vouchers to families so they can buy turkeys at Publix and are also giving them bags of side dishes and fixings -- rice, beans, corns, cookies and cranberry sauce.

"We used to give out turkeys, but keeping the turkeys was very, very hard," said Susan Vasilev, the public relations director for the local Catholic Charities. "We didn't have the facilities to keep them."

DETAILS

The local United Way says most of its charities are filled. But anyone with need should call the 211 help line for the possibility of any help this Thanksgiving. Those who anticipate hardship during Christmas should also call the 211 helpline as soon as they can. The Cafe of Life is holding its annual Thanksgiving dinner at Liberty Lighthouse Church. Those interested in helping should call 239-948-9212. To sign up for the Flamingo Island Flea Market Thanksgiving Thousand effort, call Gene Vaccaro at Flamingo Island Flea Market at 948-7799 To help out Hispanic Services in packing food or donating funds, call 390-2928 To aid the Bonita Assistance Office, call 992-3034

"The need is greater," said Vasilev about the demand this year. "The local populations in need are growing constantly."

Linda Pankow of the local United Way said most of the groups her organization works with were already filled up with needy families to serve. She recommended that families anticipating any hardships for Christmas should call the 211 help line now to ensure they would be taken care of. She said any families who are struggling this Thanksgiving should also call the help line, so United Way staff could try to find an organization that has a little bit of extra help available.

Other local businesses are also offering their brand of support. The Bonita Springs-Estero Association of Realtors held a luncheon on Friday at The Colony Golf and Bay Club. At the luncheon, the Realtors and other businessmen bid on deserts donated by local restaurants. The proceeds from the auction go to the Bonita Assistance Office. Terri Speach, director of education and marketing for the Realtors Association, said that last year's event had raised $3,000 in funds.

Lois Hollands, the administrator of the Bonita Assistance Office, said she has $850 in contributions so far this year, which the office will give away as Publix gift certificates. She said the families would be able to buy whatever food they wanted with the gift certificates, a move she hoped would appeal to those who didn't like turkey or had unique dietary needs.

WCI Communities is also distributing meals. Jim Iacovino, executive chef at The Colony, will be slicing 300 pounds of turkey on Monday morning with volunteers at The Colony Golf Club. The turkey will then be assembled into sack lunches and given to workers in Immokalee by Salvation Army volunteers.

Perhaps the most intimate form of help in the area can be found at Cafe of Life, which is holding its annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Liberty Lighthouse Church in Bonita Springs between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving day. The group usually gets about 120 clients and offers them a full sit-down authentic turkey dinner. Carol Fleming, a coordinator and volunteer for the Cafe, said that the group could still use more volunteers -- they usually have about 25 to 30 on hand to help.

"The homeless have nowhere to cook a turkey. Some families have no electricity," said Fleming. "For us, its actually hands on. A lot of charities take the donation and find people to give it to. We bring the donators and clients together -- you can actually see the people you're giving food to."

Contact Staff Writer Abhi Raghunathan at 213-6042 or araghunathan@naplesnews.com