"Helping Our Neighbors" for Thanksgiving

November 17, 2006

WHO: The University of Florida and the Martin Luther King Commission of Florida Inc. are partnering on the “Helping Our Neighbors” holiday food project for Thanksgiving.

WHAT: The goal of the community partnership is to provide help to our neighbors who live in the outlying and rural areas in Alachua County. On Nov. 20, more than 200 Thanksgiving baskets will be delivered to families in Alachua, Archer, Hawthorne, High Springs, LaCrosse, Micanopy, Newberry, Waldo and Grove Park. After various challenges this year, UF and the MLK Commission of Florida will ease the burden in a small way for those 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: Monday, Nov. 20, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Florida Bridgewater-Alford at 352-846-3903.

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, and MLK Commission of Florida Inc., will be on hand arranging the baskets (boxes) of food at the Alachua County fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday. Representatives from each municipality will have between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to receive their municipality’s baskets. Each basket will contain a full-size turkey, four cans of veggies, four cans of fruit, a can of yams, a box of mashed potatoes, boxes of jiffy corn bread mix, cake mix and icing.