St. Vincent de Paul annual Christmas Basket Program to give holiday meals to families in need

Sign up between Nov. 28 and Dec. 9, with distribution day scheduled for Dec. 16.

The St. Vincent de Paul Christmas Basket Program for this year is now in full swing.

The annual program allows local donors, partners and vendors to collaborate to help cover the food costs and provide the makings of a Christmas dinner to families in need.

The nonprofit distributes about 1,000 boxes of food each year. Last year, over 1,000 families were helped, and the cost of food and provisions for the Christmas baskets exceeded $24,000.

This year, St. Vincent de Paul hopes to generate enough funding for more than 1,000 families.

The basket distribution day is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 16, at Second Harvest Food Bank, 20 N. Murray St.

The distribution will be a drive-thru pick-up with participants remaining in their cars. Volunteers will load baskets into the cars. Masks are required for those in the cars.

The public can call in and sign up between Nov. 28 and Dec. 9 at 937-325-8880 or 937-322-0838. Anyone calling to make a pantry appointment can also sign up for Christmas baskets. No sign ups can be made in-person at the pantry.

The basket sign-up times are:

From 10 a.m. to noon on Nov. 28, Dec. 3 and 5.

From 2 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 2, 7, 8 and 9.

From 5 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 1 and 6.

St. Vincent de Paul still needs about 20 volunteers from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 16 to help distribute and load the baskets at the event. To volunteer, contact Rick Darr or Tess Jarboe at the food pantry at 937-325-8880.

It costs $40 to feed one family Christmas dinner. Donations of any size are welcome. Donations and checks can be mailed to: St. Vincent de Paul, PO Box 94, Springfield, Ohio, 45501-0094, and marking the donation for Christmas baskets.

About the Author