"They work hard, but can’t protect their families from hunger"

How come the Franklin Food Pantry is busy?

“The poverty rate in Massachusetts is the highest it’s been since 1960. The inflation-adjusted wages of the lowest-paid workers haven’t budged in decades. Income inequality in the state has become greater than in the nation as a whole.” - The Boston Globe, November 2014

screen grab of Project Bread annual report 2014

The Project Bread annual report gets into additional details. You can read the full report on the Project Bread webpage
http://www.projectbread.org/get-the-facts/reports-and-studies/2014-status-report-on-hunger.pdf

Food and non-food donations can be placed in the bin by the Food Pantry front door at 43 West Central St. Please be mindful of what you leave given the weather conditions. 

Financial contributions can be mailed to Franklin Food Pantry, PO Box 116, Franklin, MA  02038 or made securely through our webpage:  

donate securely here

"acts of kindness can greatly improve the lives of others"

From the MA Gov blog they have an article with good tips on how to donate wisely this holiday season.

How to Donate

Charitable organizations provide a variety of services to those most in need. With many charities asking for your assistance, it’s important to give wisely.

1. Find a cause you are passionate about – Donating can directly benefit the issues you care about the most. Looking to help the homeless and the hungry? Reach out to one of the many food banks in the Commonwealth. If you love animals, contacting an animal shelter for information on contributing can be a great idea. Additionally, you can assist families in need by providing baby supplies, books, clothes, and household items.

2. Research the charity – As part of the “Donating Dos and Don’ts” it’s important to know to where your money is going. While most foundations are reputable and legitimate there are few that are not. When supporting and evaluating charities you can review the organization’s federal Form 990, search through the Non-Profits & Charities Document database, or ask directly for their financial statements.

3. Document your donations – Many contributions are tax deductible. In order to be eligible for deductions, keep track of how much you’ve given and to what organizations, obtain a receipt for your donation if possible.

4. Encourage family and friends – Giving charitably to others promotes community ties and bring happiness to those who need it most. Telling those close to you about opportunities to donate can inspire them to do the same.

screen grab of MA Gov article on charitable donations

Read the full article here

http://blog.mass.gov/blog/consumer-advice/4-tips-for-donating-this-holiday-season/

Food and non-food donations can be placed in the bin by the Food Pantry front door at 43 West Central St. Please be mindful of what you leave given the weather conditions. 

Financial contributions can be mailed to Franklin Food Pantry, PO Box 116, Franklin, MA  02038 or made securely through our webpage:  

donate securely here

Happy holidays from the Franklin Food Pantry!

We have coordinated to deliver about 200 holiday meals to our Franklin neighbors. Now our volunteers are taking a well deserved rest. We will re-open on Monday, Dec 29th.

Franklin Town Common all lit up at night

We thank you for the generous community support and hard work from all our volunteers. We could not do this without you!

Food and non-food donations can be placed in the bin by our front door at 43 West Central St. Please be mindful of what you leave given the weather conditions. 

Financial contributions can be mailed to our PO Box 116, Franklin, MA  02038
or made securely through our webpage:  

donate securely here

"what these individuals needed more than coats were jobs"

Veronika is doing good things for the folks in Detroit. 

Veronika Scott was a product design student in Detroit when she invented a water-resistant and self-heating coat that transforms into a sleeping bag for the homeless. After spending months at local homeless shelters, Veronika discovered that what these individuals needed more than coats were jobs, and so began The Empowerment Plan. Today, the non-profit employs homeless women, teaching them skills that empower them to take their lives back while creating a product for a community they were once a part of.

For more about GAP's "One Stitch Closer" program follow this link
http://www.gap.com/browse/info.do?cid=1008049&mdts=true


Like Veronika, the Franklin Food Pantry is looking to do more. With the mobile pantry, we make it easier for some of our clients to get the food they need. We also hold cooking classes to help develop a healthier life style.

If you would like to help the Food Pantry, you can sign up to volunteer in any number of ways. You can also make a taxable contribution securely online.

donate securely online

Gardener to Gardener: Growing houseplants this winter

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to open in a browser. A gardening newsletter featuring Ask & Share and our friends at HGTV Gardens December Ask & Share Highlights Unusual but Foolproof — Houseplants Peace Lily Care Tips: Give Peace a Chance The Freshest Herbs Tips & Tricks During the dark and dreary days of winter, you'll be glad of the life and color that houseplants add to your indoor landscape. And if you're missing the bounty of the summer's outdoor food garden, continue to reap a fresh harvest with some herbs on your windowsill. Get ideas for selecting and caring for easy-to–grow houseplants and tasty herbs in this month's newsletter. Ask & Share Community Highlights Anonymous asked: My rosemary has survived the first snow of the year. Will it survive the winter in New Hampshire? What next? NGA answered: Unfortunately, your rosemary plant will not survive outdoors through the winter in New Hampshire. Most rosemary varieties are winter hardy outside only to about Zone 7. To keep your rosemary over the winter, give it the coolest, sunniest spot you have indoors. Make sure not to overwater; let the top inch or so of soil dry out before rewatering, but don't let it dry out completely. MORE Anonymous asked: Help! My potted Meyer lemon tree was happy outside, not so much inside. Since bringing it indoors (about a month ago at first frost) the leaves are browning and curling slightly at the ends, and seemingly perfect leaves are falling. But it is producing buds and appears to have new growth. NGA answered: It's not uncommon for a plant like your lemon tree to drop leaves when it's moved abruptly from the high light intensity of outdoor sunlight to the less intense light environment indoors. Eventually your lemon tree will adjust and put out new leaves that are better adapted to lower indoor light levels. MORE Unusual but Foolproof — Houseplants I can't tell you how many times people have come up to me with a look of embarrassed apology and asked, "Can you recommend a foolproof houseplant for me? I seem to kill everything I try to grow indoors." Well sure, I can! And to make it a little more interesting, here are a few of my favorites you may not have seen before; plants that are a little more unusual than the familiar peace lily, pothos, or African violet, but just as easy to grow. Read the full article From our friends at HGTV Gardens Peace Lily Care Tips: Give Peace a Chance Peace lilies — which are not true lilies, but a member of the Araceae family of flowering plants — are renowned for their easy care. The peace lily is hardy and forgiving, and will even let you know when it is thirsty — look for the telltale droop. The shade-loving tropical plant is also known for its air-purifying abilities — it's great at breaking down and neutralizing toxic gases like carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. Read the full article from HGTV Gardens The Freshest Herbs As with vegetables fresh from the garden, it's hard to beat homegrown herbs for your culinary delight. However, for most of us winter cold puts an end to the outdoor harvest season. Fortunately, if you've got a sunny window it's not hard to grow your own fresh herbs indoors in winter. You won't be harvesting on the same scale as you might from an outdoor garden, but it's still delightful to be able to pick a few sprigs of fresh herbs to liven up your dishes this winter. Read the full article  NGA's Tips & Tricks Dust Your Houseplants Just like your furniture, the leaves of indoor plants get dusty, which can interfere with photosynthesis and transpiration and provide insects a place to hide. Give smaller plants a rinse with the sprayer at the kitchen sink. Be sure to wash off both sides of the leaves. Larger plants can be set in the shower. The leaves of large-foliaged plants can be wiped off individually with a soft cloth dipped in a solution of a few drops of mild dish detergent in a quart of tepid water, then rinsed with clear water. Neglect with Respect Simply put, most houseplants don't need as much water during the winter season as at other times of the year because they aren't growing as actively. Check the moisture level in the soil by sticking your finger in down to the second knuckle; if the soil is still moist hold off on watering. When you do water, do it thoroughly enough that some water comes out the drainage holes. Then allow the water to drain completely. If the plant has a saucer, dump any excess water after an hour or so. Don't leave your plant sitting in water. Raise Humidity Levels Heated indoor air in winter feels desert dry to many plants. An easy way to raise humidity around your plant is to fill a large, waterproof saucer or tray with gravel or pebbles; then add water to half the depth of the stone. Set the plant pot on the stones or pebbles, making sure the bottom of the pot is not sitting in water. As the water around the pebbles evaporates, it raises the humidity level around the plant. Join Ask & Share for more great information from the experts at NGA, our friends at HGTV Gardens, and real gardeners just like you! National Gardening Association 237 Commerce St., Suite 101 Williston, VT 05495 Visit us online: Garden.org  |  KidsGardening.org Download Media Kit Do you have a question or concern about this newsletter? Email the Editor

'12 Days of Donating' - preliminary results

The Franklin Food Elves and the Franklin Downtown Partnership are pleased to announce that the preliminary numbers are in and the “12 Days of Donating” Campaign has collected more than three tons (or 6,000 pounds) of goods and $8,000 for the Franklin Food Pantry.

(L to R) Elf Ellie Teixeira, Co-Founder Cameron Piana, Food Pantry Executive Director Erin Lynch

More than 90 Food Elves collected from their Franklin neighbors, the most volunteers in the history of the Franklin Food Elves. They worked in conjunction with local businesses that set up collection bins at their locations around town.

Some of the donations dropped off at the Food Pantry

“We’d like to thank all of residents of Franklin who donated to our campaign this year. We also would like to thank the elves that worked hard to bring the donations in, and the businesses that helped fill the donation bins at their locations. We are excited to see the totals because we still have more donations coming in,” says Cameron Piana, Food Elves co-founder.

Student volunteers weigh donations

Local businesses were deeply involved in this year’s campaign. DCU gave a check for $5,000, and 15 other businesses pledged a $200 cash donation and donated time and bin space to the cause.

Those businesses included Auerr, Zajac & Associates, LLC, Berry Insurance, British Beer Company, Dean Bank, Dean College, Drama Kids of Metro West, Emma’s Quilt Cupboard, the Franklin Downtown Partnership, Jane’s Frames, Keefe Insurance Agency, Murphy Business, Printsmart Office Products, Pour Richard’s Wine & Spirits, RE/MAX Executive Realty, and Yellin & Hyman, P.C.


For more information about the Food Elves and the “12 Days of Donating” campaign, please contact the Food Elves at franklinfoodelves@yahoo.com or visit their Facebook page.


This was shared from the Franklin Downtown Partnership page here
http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2014/12/12-days-of-donating-preliminary-totals.html

Franklin Food Elves Drop-Off Day Photos

The Franklin Food Pantry was a busy place Saturday morning with Franklin Food Elves bringing in the donated goods they collected. A few industrious elves improvised a slide system to make the drop-offs easier, while a few more elves helped to weigh, sort and store the donations.

Final totals will be announced later this week as more donations continue to pour in.

(L to R) Elf Ellie Teixeira, Head Elf Cameron Piana and Executive Director Erin Lynch

The improvised slide helped make the job easier

 

Executive Director Erin Lynch

This was re-shared from the Franklin Downtown Partnership

http://www.franklindowntownpartnership.org/2014/12/food-elves-drop-off-day-photos.html

Families Helping Families

A Free Community Event to Support our Local Food Pantries

Saturday December 13, 6-8 pm at Living Buddha Nature

All monetary donations go to our local food pantries in Millis and Franklin to directly support local families.

Enjoy a free concert by international Virtuoso guitarist Aaron-Larget Caplan

Raffle at event for prizes including yoga and tai chi classes, massages, gift certificates, and surprise gifts! Share free refreshments and time together as a community during this event.

screen grab of Living Buddha Nature webpage

Living Buddha Nature 969 Main St. (Rt. 109) Millis, MA 02054 www.mylbn.com

The flyer for today's event:

FPAC Stages Holiday Musical Performance For Area Community Organizations

The Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) will host a special performance of the original holiday musical ’Tis the Season! for community youth, family and social services organizations on Friday, December 19, at 7:30 p.m. at the Thomas D. Mercer Auditorium, located at 224 Oak Street in Franklin. 

FPAC will distribute complimentary tickets for the December 19 performance through community organizations, including the Hockomock Area YMCA, local Best Buddies chapters, and Franklin Food Pantry. For more information about ticket availability, representatives from nonprofit community service organizations are encouraged to call 508-528-3370 or email Alan Mercer at amercer@fpaconline.com.

Franklin Performing Arts Company

’Tis the Season!, an original large cast musical first presented by FPAC in 1995, is an upbeat, jazzy extravaganza featuring members of the Kenny Hadley Big Band with contemporary arrangements of favorite holiday classics in musical styles ranging from swing, R&B, and gospel to rock, pop, and Broadway. The show spotlights over 100 singers and dancers. Musical arrangements include Andy Williams’ It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year and Happy Holiday, songs from several popular television Christmas specials, Quincy Jones’ sensational version of the Hallelujah Chorus, and many surprises. Ring in the holidays with great merriment, fanfare and fun! 

A distinctive suburban non-profit arts organization founded in 1991, FPAC supports educational arts experiences, quality entertainment, and outstanding performance opportunities for professional artists, community performers, and students of the arts. With a focus on youth development and a commitment to live music, 

FPAC productions draw performers and audiences from more than 100 communities throughout the region. Tickets are available for purchase by the general public for regularly scheduled performances of ’Tis the Season! on December 20 at 7:30 p.m. and on December 21 at 2 p.m. For more information, call 508-528-3370 or visit www.fpaconline.com.

Franklin Performing Arts Company

Tis the season for giving

“We make a living by what we get.

We make a life by what we give.”

― Winston S. Churchill

Giving is as easy as 1, 2, 3

1 - You can give to help provide cupcakes for our December holiday meal. Visit The Cake Bar today to help out with the cupcake order.  

http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/11/lets-add-cupcakes-to-holiday-ham-dinners.html

2 - Make a reservation with Nice Car Care for your vehicle to get serviced. 5% of the profits from the services they provide during the month of December will come to the Food Pantry. 

http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/11/nice-car-care-gives-back-to-families-in.html

3 - The Franklin Food Elves are making it easy for you to help your neighbors in need during the "12 Days of Donating" campaign. From December 1 through December 12, volunteer Food Elves will be coming to your neighborhood, or you can donate goods at a local participating business.

http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/12/franklin-downtown-partnership-and-food.html

And if you prefer, you can also give directly via this secure online donation link

Donate securely here

What is the single best drink for your health?

Tuesday, this should be a good time for a brief video.

WINTER EVENT - KinderCare Learning Center

WINTER EVENT

December 13th

From 1-3pm

KinderCare Learning Center

42 Pond Street, Franklin MA

Join us here for a fun afternoon of Gingerbread Man Decorating!
We will have some Winter Crafts and a Hot Chocolate Bar!
Santa will also be visiting!
We would love to have you stop by for an enjoyable afternoon!

Price of Admission: Donations at the door of Toiletry Items or cans of pineapple for the Franklin Food Pantry

Franklin Kindercare Learning Center

Winter event flyer

Franklin Downtown Partnership and Food Elves "12 Days of Donating"

              

Food Elves '12 Days of Donating' Kicked off December 1

The Franklin Food Elves are making it easy for you to help your neighbors in need during the "12 Days of Donating" campaign benefitting the Franklin Food Pantry. From December 1 to December 12, volunteer Food Elves will be coming to your neighborhood, or you can donate goods at a local participating business.

The Franklin Food Elves is a charitable community service group made up of more than 85 hard-working middle school and high school students. For the past three years they have partnered with the Franklin Downtown Partnership and local businesses to create one of the Franklin Food Pantry's most successful collection drives. Last year the "12 Days of Donating" campaign brought in more than $6,700 and 7,300 pounds of goods.

In December the Food Elves will notify residents about the collection drive in their neighborhood, including information about what items are needed and the collection dates. Residents simply place bags of goods at their mailboxes on designated pickup dates and the Food Elves will do the rest.

In case there's no elf in your neighborhood, it is still easy and convenient to donate. The group has placed bright red collection bins at participating Franklin Downtown Partnership member businesses. If the Food Elves meet their goal of collecting more than 1,200 pounds of goods, each business listed below has pledged to donate $200.

Bins can be found at these participating  business locations:

• Auerr, Zajac & Associates, LLC, 29 Dean Ave.
• British Beer Company, 280 Franklin Village Dr.
• DCU, 500 West Central St.
• Dean Bank, 21 Main St.
• Dean College, Campus Center
• Drama Kids of Metro West, 19 Dean Ave. (call for drop off schedule)
• Emma's Quilt Cupboard, 12 Main St.
• Franklin Downtown Partnership Office, 9 East Central St.
• Jane's Frames, 11 East Central St.
• Keefe Insurance Agency, 51 West Central St.
• Murphy Business, 15 East Central St.
• Pour Richard's Wine & Spirits, 14 Grove St.
• RE/MAX Executive Realty, 308 West Central St., Suite E
• Yellin & Hyman, P.C., 693 East Central St., Suite 201

2014 Food Elves (L-R): Project 351 Ambassador Rebekah Redwine, YCIC's Dan Robert, Food Pantry Executive Director Erin Lynch, Head Elf Cameron Piana, Lead Elf Haley Frank

Also donating to the campaign are Berry Insurance and Printsmart Office Solutions.

Look for a donation bin at the Holiday Stroll tree lighting ceremony at Dean College on Thursday, December 4, or drop off donations at the Franklin Food Pantry, 43 West Central St., and designate them for the "12 Days of Donating" drive.

#GIVINGTUESDAY - Take 2

#GIVINGTUESDAY - Take 2

Thanks to all of our valued donors who donated on #GivingTuesday. We are grateful for your ongoing support.

If you tried to make a donation on Tuesday and were unsuccessful, we apologize. The company that provides our online donation service had technical difficulties (thanks to all those who wanted to give!) but the system is now back up and running at full capacity.

Won't you try again today? Think of it as #GivingTuesday Take2!

Click the link below to help the Franklin Food Pantry make a difference.

Thank you!

Click on this link to donate securely to the Food Pantry

#givingtuesday

Giving Tuesday
So good to us
Wednesday morning
It was all we hoped it would be 

The recent raffle of the Patriots tickets raised over $7,000 for the Food Pantry!

Oh, Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday couldn't guarantee
That Wednesday evening you would still
Be funding meals

The Turkey Trot brought out almost 400 runners/walkers who raised over $5,000 and 1,800 pounds of food!

Giving Tuesday
Just love that day
Giving Tuesday
Sometimes it gives food that way

So what will we end up with from #givingtuesday?

You can donate securely here

For additional lyrics to the re-write of Monday, Monday (with apologies to the Mamas and Papas)
http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/2014/11/givingtuesday-theme-song.html

Cyber Monday leads to #GivingTuesday

Cyber Monday. A hot term in the media these days and yet it was only 'born' in 2005.


This would be a good time to consider getting one of the Panther Pride collection!

COUPON CODE- CYBERMONDAY for FREE SHIPPING on Franklin Pride Collection @franklinmatters @FranklinFoodPan @FranklinHS http://t.co/qkX26aZprf
— Beads for a Cause® (@beadsforacause) November 30, 2014

What does a Panther Pride bead look like?

Check out some samples here:  http://www.franklinfoodpantry.org/p/1.html

If you do purchase online, be safe. Take care of your accounts and passwords.

And consider donating on #givingTuesday. The service we use is secure. We take care of your money, using it to fund healthy food purchases all year.

To contribute securely, please click on the link

#GivingTuesday - theme song?

So if you are as foolish as our Community Information Director is, you'll appreciate what he did to the Mama's and Papa's classic song "Monday, Monday".

Got the tune in mind?

Check out YouTube here to refresh your memory:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h81Ojd3d2rY


Now with the tune in mind, please sing along!

Giving Tuesday
So good to us
Wednesday morning
It was all we hoped it would be 

Oh, Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday couldn't guarantee
That Wednesday evening you would still
Be funding meals

Giving Tuesday
Just love that day
Giving Tuesday
Sometimes it gives food that way 

Oh, Giving Tuesday you gave me no warning
Of what was to be
Oh, Giving Tuesday
How you could give and give so much

Every other day
Every other day
Every other day of the week is fine (fine), yeah
But when Giving Tuesday comes
But when Giving Tuesday comes
We find you giving all of the time 

Giving Tuesday
So good to us
Giving Tuesday
It was all we hoped it would be 

But, Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday couldn't guarantee
That Wednesday evening you would still
Be giving food to us

Giving Tuesday
Just love that day
Giving Tuesday
It just turns out that way
Oh, Giving Tuesday

Won't go away
Giving Tuesday
It's here to stay
Oh, Giving Tuesday

Sherlock's Foolish Music (MADCAP Records)
With sincere apologies to the Mama’s and Papa’s for taking liberty with their classic song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h81Ojd3d2rY

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/m/mamas+the+papas/monday+monday_20087282.html

To contribute securely, please click on the link