“Helping Our Neighbors” for Christmas

December 20, 2005

WHO: The University of Florida and the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida Inc. have joined to sponsor the "Helping Our Neighbors" holiday food project for Christmas.

WHAT: The goal of the community partners is to provide help to our neighbors who live in the outlying and rural areas in Alachua County. On Dec. 21, more than 200 Thanksgiving baskets will be delivered to families in Alachua, Archer, Hawthorne, High Springs, LaCrosse, Micanopy, Newberry and Waldo. UF and the MLK Commission of Florida will ease the burden in a small way for needy families in our outlying areas. The estimated number of people who will be served is more than 1,000.

Generously supported by UF President Bernie Machen, the University of Florida is contributing turkeys and other non-perishable foods to each basket.

WHEN: Wednesday, Dec. 21, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

WHERE: Alachua County Fairgrounds, Main Pavilion, 2900 N.E. 39th Ave.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Florida Bridgewater-Alford at (352) 846-3903 or Marie Small at (352) 376-2442.

SPONSORS: University of Florida Office of the President and Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida Inc.

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: Volunteers from the offices of the University of Florida president, UF’s provost, MLK Jr. Commission of Florida Inc., and state Rep. Ed Jennings Jr. will be arranging the baskets (boxes) of food at the Alachua County Fairgrounds from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Representatives from each municipality will have between 11 a.m. and noon to receive their municipality’s baskets. Each basket (or box) will contain a full-size turkey, four cans of vegetables, four cans of fruit, a can of yams, a box of mashed potatoes, boxes of corn bread mix, cake mix and icing. Boxes are being donated by Minor and Owens in Gainesville.