When the food pantry at the Neighborhood House in Middletown gets low, the Springmill Charity Committee is there to fill it back up.
The Neighborhood House is one of several charities that benefits from the goodwill of residents in the Springmill community. During the holiday season, Springmill residents donate to the M.O.T. Jean Birch Senior Center Adopt-a-Senior program, the Neighborhood House’s Adopt-a-Family program, The U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots drive and the American Legion Auxiliary Post No. 25’s charities.
Jo Verni, chairwoman of the Charity Committee, said she volunteered for the position when she moved to Springmill three years ago. She previously volunteered to help the donation committee at her church in New Jersey.
“I always thought it was a great thing,” she said. “I think it gives you a good feeling to help people.”
Verni said the Springmill Charity Committee, which consists of about 15 volunteers, collects food year round. They alternate donating food between the senior center and the Neighborhood House each month.
“We go around and walk our entire community and collect the food,” she said. “On average, a third of our population gives. Some people give a shopping bag full.”
Verni said they have committee members walk both the north and south side of the development to collect donations.
She said many of those who don’t donate to the food drive donate to other causes.
Marilyn Hendershot, family service worker at the Neighborhood House, said she can always count on the Charity Committee.
“They go above and beyond,” she said. “They fill up our food closet just at the time we need it. If we can count on nothing else, we always know we’ll have food every other month. We’ve gotten low on food a few times, and they’ve come through every time.”
Hendershot said the Neighborhood House provides food to about 45 families and 100 individuals in the area.
She said they do receive donations from churches and other organizations, and they order food from the Food Bank of Delaware, but Springmill goes the extra mile.
“Now we’ve been asking for toiletries and food regularly, because we’re finding people who need food, also need toilet paper, shampoo, deodorant and soap,” Hendershot said. “You can’t go into a professional job with those parts of personal hygiene missing.
“Springmill is very generous in that area, too,” Hendershot said. “They call ahead of time and ask if we have any special needs for this month.”
She said the previous Charity Committee chairman, Paul Wiedemann, purchased a standalone freezer and a refrigerator and was able to secure large trash cans for the Neighborhood House.
“He was amazing and he should be commended,” Hendershot said. “They don’t just do one thing. They do a lot and it’s just invaluable.”
The season for giving
When the holidays roll around, the Springmill Charity Committee steps up their giving efforts to make the season a little brighter for those in need.
In 2007, nearly 80 Springmill households donated to the Charity Committee’s annual holiday fundraising efforts.
More than $5,000 was collected for the Adopt a Senior, Adopt a Family and Delaware Boots on the Ground charities. About 30 toys were purchased for the Toys for Tots program.
From the donations, 15 seniors in the Adopt-a-Senior program received gifts and supermarket gift cards. Thirty-seven people in the Adopt-a-Family program received gifts.
The senior center gives the committee a list of seniors in need and the Neighborhood House sends a list of 10 families, with three holiday wishes per person.
“My committee goes out and shops. Then we have a gift wrapping session,” Verni said. “We wrap the gifts and deliver them to the senior center and the Neighborhood House.”
Those programs aim to make the holidays happier for those who may not have received gifts otherwise.
The community also donated $1,825 to the American Legion Post No. 25 for the Delaware Boots on the Ground organization, which purchases gift cards for soldiers serving oversees.
This holiday season, the Charity Committee is supporting the same organizations along with the Wounded Warrior Project and Wounded Warrior Weekend through the American Legion.
The Wounded Warrior Project provides services to severely injured service men and women. The wounded Warrior Weekend program provides weekend excursions for wounded soldiers who are in hospitals.
Sam Corkadel, American Legion Post No. 25 commander and Springmill resident, said there are many veterans in the community.
“Most of the Springmill people are very patriotic and believe we should support our troops that are deployed,” he said. “Springmill is just excellent on this kind of stuff. You couldn’t ask for a better bunch of people.”
“We have a lot of committees and a huge amount of volunteers,” Verni said. “This is just something we do for our community. It really is great.”
Middletown, Del. —
