Where, When and How to Donate Turkeys and More Over the Holidays

As many of us prepare to give thanks and enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving feast, buying and baking food that is sure to tempt even the fussiest easter, some of our neighbors and friends are in need of a little help this holiday season. If you find yourself with an extra turkey or a few cans of corn, consider helping out by contributing to one of the many food, coat or clothing donations occurring around the Caldwells.

TURKEYS

• , North Caldwell
  Saturday, Nov. 19, 9 a.m. to noon

Frozen turkeys will be collected for The Community Food Bank of New Jersey. Last year, the state was hoping for 20,000 turkeys. This year, the need is for 27,000 turkeys! Frozen turkeys may be dropped off to the truck in the church’s lower parking lot (near Mill Street). Non-perishable items, such as stuffing, canned vegetables, canned potatoes and cranberry sauce, are also needed. Contact Catherine Fink at 973-226-8086 for more information.

• Deacon’s Turkey Drive
  Saturday, Nov. 19, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Church will accept frozen turkeys and canned goods, as well as cash donations, for The Community Foodbank of New Jersey. For more information, visit ww.njfoodbank.org.

• 
  Saturday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Church’s turkey collection will benefit The Community Food Bank's Annual Turkey Drive. Volunteers will accept frozen (never thawed) turkeys for needy local families. Canned and packaged goods to complete the dinner are also welcome.

• 
  Saturday, Nov. 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Church will be assembling Thanksgiving baskets for area families. Frozen turkeys or turkey breasts can be brought to the church on Saturday.

• , Caldwell
  Monday, Nov. 21, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

St. Aloysius will collect frozen turkeys, frozen turkey breasts, and non-perishable food items for distribution to the Caldwell Food Pantry, and other local organizations. Donations may be brought to the vestibule of the gym located behind the church, where volunteers will help carry the donations from your car. Questions?  Contact Ed Karpinski at 973-226-0209, or Patty D'Angelo at 973-885-4977.

Can’t make it by 5:30 p.m.? Evening donations may be placed in a cooler at 43 Aldom Circle, West Caldwell. Donations will be delivered to the agencies on Tuesday morning.

CANNED GOODS

• , 110 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell
  Now through Monday, Nov. 21

is holding a food drive to benefit the Caldwell Food Pantry. The food drive will aid individuals and families in need in the Caldwell and West Caldwell area. Items needed include hot and cold cereals, coffee and tea, canned tuna and chicken, canned and boxed pasta, pasta sauce, canned fruits and vegetable, juice, peanut butter and jelly, and Thanksgiving food items, such as stuffing, gravy, boxed mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, canned yams, and more.

In addition, personal hygiene products, health and beauty aids, cleaning products, and paper goods are also welcome. For more information, call 973-228-0500, or e-mail drmarco@thechiropracticsource.com.

• , 14 Park Ave., 1st floor, Caldwell
  Ongoing

The pantry collects and distributes food to any Caldwell or West Caldwell resident who needs food. Drop off points and collections are throughout the Caldwells, including the , and , and more. For additional information, call 973-403-4623.

COATS

• and the
  Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For the 16th Annual Coat Drive, Jersey Cares hopes to collect and distribute more than 50,000 “gently used” winter coats to men, women and children in need throughout the state. Over the past 15 years, Jersey Cares has collected, sorted and distributed more than 350,000 coats to residents through its annual drive. Companies, churches, police stations, schools and other organizations set up sites across the state to collect coats. Coats are then delivered by collection site representatives to the nearest container site where volunteers sort and bag the coats for pick up. Various nonprofit organizations pick up coats and distribute them to those in need. For more information, email coatdrive@jerseycares.org, or call 973-424-1091.

TOYS

• , Caldwell
  Now through late December

Community members are invited to drop off new, unwrapped toys in collection boxes located in the Century 21 Cedarcrest office on 460 Bloomfield Ave. for Toys for Tots. Toys will be delivered to the U.S. Marines at the central warehouses of the Picatinny Arsenal in Dover. Toys are sorted by age and gender. At Christmas, coordinators, with the assistance of local social welfare agencies, church groups, and other local community agencies, distribute the toys to the less fortunate children of the community. Over the years, Marines have established close working relationships with social welfare agencies, churches and other local community agencies qualified to identify the needy children in the community. The toys will start to be distributed beginning the first week of December. Call 973-228-1050 for more information.

SHOES

• Little Shoebox of Upper Montclair, 602 Valley Road, Annual Shoe Drive
  Dec. 1-31

Little Shoebox partners with Soles4Souls each year throughout the month of December, collecting gently worn children’s shoes for distribution to children in need throughout the world. Donate shoes and receive a 10% discount (certain restrictions apply) off the purchase of a new pair of shoes. For more information, visit the website or call 973-744-3007.

MULTIPLE ITEMS

•   Second Annual Homeless Sleep Out
  Saturday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

As part of this annual event, participating youth will collect non-perishable food for the , as well as gift cards to Target and ShopRite, and coats and blankets for Bridges.

Patch knows this list is not complete. Where else can you donate the stuff you no longer need?