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Food Elves, FDP Plan '12 Days of Donating' Drive
The Franklin Food Elves are combining forces with the Franklin Downtown Partnership for the "12 Days of Donating" campaign to benefit the local food pantry, and they'll kick off the drive at the fourth annual Holiday Stroll's tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, November 29, at 4:00 p.m.
As a charitable community service group, the Food Elves aim to collect 1,200 pounds of food in 12 days, from December 1 to December 12, for the Franklin Food Pantry. More than 50 Elves will ask for food donations in Franklin neighborhoods during the first two weeks in December, and local businesses have pledged their support. If the Food Elves collect 1,200 pounds of goods, eleven participating companies have each pledged a $200 cash donation.
Ideally the Elves hope to beat last year's drive in which they raised more than 2,000 pounds of goods and $4,000, allowing the Food Pantry to provide 17,000 meals for Franklin families in need last winter.
Franklin Food Elves co-founders Melissa and Cameron Piana and the Partnership hope that the community will support the Food Pantry again this year by helping them reach their goal.
"Last year we were excited by the generosity of the people in this town," says Cameron Piana. "Because of those donations we could help the Pantry feed families for several months. Our timing was good because there is more need in winter when people have to spend money on heat."
According to the food pantry, 600 households currently use their services, and the number of families struggling increases during the cold months. 1,200 pounds of food can provide approximately 900 meals, and $2,200 can provide an additional 5,500 meals.
The Food Elves will kick off the "12 Days of Donating" campaign at the Holiday Stroll with a bin at the tree lighting ceremony, and they will place donation bins at these participating businesses:
- Berry Insurance, 9 Main St.
- Chestnut Dental Associates, 38 Pond St.
- Dean Bank, 21 Main St.
- Dean College, Campus Center
- DCU, 500 West Central St.
- East Coast Driving School, 25 East Central St.
- Emma's Quilt Cupboard, 12 Main St.
- Franklin Downtown Partnership Office, 9 East Central St.
- Jane's Frames, 11 East Central St.
- Murphy Business, 15 East Central St.
- RE/MAX Executive Realty, 445 Franklin Village Dr.
"The Franklin Downtown Partnership is happy to partner with the Franklin Food Elves again this year," says FDP President Nicole Fortier. "We encourage residents to visit the local businesses to drop off their donations. We are pleased to support the teens who are doing such necessary community service work in Franklin."
The Franklin Food Elves are local students ranging from fourth grade through high school: Colin and Charles Berg; Jack, Katie and Julia Buccella; Cara and Chris Callahan; Corey Cassi; Austin and Carter Castillo; Sarah Carroll; Allie Champlin; Kiara Chan; Amanda Chang; Chris Chou; Kiara Cronin; Karen Cunningham; Jessica Deaver; Julia and Jacob Dextradeur; Ryan Dombroski; Elise and Haley Frank; Sarah Georges; Maddie Gordon; Yagnya Govada; Megan and Julie Harrington; Kirsten Hummel; Victoria Krasnick; Maddie Lacman; Kasey Lynch; Kathryn Mason; Nicolette McCarthy; Laura Murphy; Kyle Neenan; Melissa and Cameron Piana; Lindsey, Sydney and Kaitlyn Rappa; Sara Richardson; Aubree Ronan; Emily Shea; Katie and Ellie Teixeira; Mely Wu.
For more information about the Franklin Food Elves and the "12 Days of Donating" campaign, please contact the Franklin Downtown Partnership at downtown.frankin@yahoo.com or (774) 571-3109. For more information about the Franklin Food Pantry and what items are needed, please contact Development Director Erin Lynch or Operations Director Linda Sottile at (508) 528-1135, or go to their website, www.franklinfoodpantry.org/.
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