CROP Walk Recruiters Rally, Monday September 24, 6:30pm

The Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative invites your congregation or organization to participate in the annual 5K CROP Hunger Walk on Sunday, October 21 at 1pm, beginning and ending at LaSalette Shrine. Registration will be at 12:30pm. The funds raised will support the work of our local Food ‘n Friends kitchens (25%) and the national and worldwide work of Church World Service in reducing hunger and poverty (75%).

There will be a Recruiters Rally on Monday, September 24 at 6:30pm at Central Congregational Church, 115 Commonwealth Ave, Attleboro Falls. This session will help recruiters to encourage participation and materials will be available as well as help with on-line registration, which is the easiest way to do fundraising. Adam Smedberg from CWS will give an update on their work. There will be soup and dessert for all in attendance.

The CROP Walk website has lots of information, as well as a fundraising page for our own walk:
https://www.crophungerwalk.org/attleboroma/

Please make sure someone is present to represent your faith community. We look forward to seeing you. If you cannot be present, please contact the Collaborative (508-222-2933) to receive registration materials.

Blessings and peace,
Pam Tarallo and Rev. John Fisk
CROP Walk Coordinators

Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative is ready once again to promote your holiday fairs, meals, and activities for the coming year. We ask that you fill out the attached form and return it by Friday, September 7, 2018. Once received the information will be submitted to the Sun Chronicle and placed in the 2018 Directory of Interfaith Fairs. The finished booklet will then be emailed to your congregation. If you have any questions about the form please contact me at 508-222-2933.  We look forward to fellowshipping with you!

Would you buy a Hungry Child a Lunch? One in seven children in Massachusetts don’t reliably have enough food to eat. Thousands of children in our area, children you may know, face hunger.

We were all children once and can only imagine how it feels to be hungry. Or, maybe some of us know that feeling, first hand.

We tend to think of summer as a carefree, fun time of the year. Sadly, summer can be one of the cruelest times for youth from low-income families. During the school year these children receive free/reduced meals. When school is not in session, a hunger crisis exists.

Kids Summer Café alleviates childhood hunger by providing children a healthy lunch. Free, bagged lunches are distributed three times a week at local playgrounds.

The Food n’ Friends Program includes five Kids Summer Cafés, two Family Cafés and six Daily Kitchens – serving Attleboro, Mansfield, North Attleboro, Norton and Seekonk.

The goal of our Food n’ Friends Fundraising Campaign is to raise $35,000 by August 31, 2018. So far, we’ve raised $26,000 with our annual Spring Benefit.

Please make this summer a happy one for your neighbors. Donate to the Food n’ Friends Fundraising Campaign. All donations are valued and vital. Thanks for bridging the gap from Hunger to Hope!

Free, bagged lunches at five playgrounds three times a week in Attleboro, North Attleboro and Norton

ATTLEBORO, MA – Kids and teens, 18 years and younger can enjoy a free lunch at sites across Attleboro, North Attleboro and Norton throughout the summer. The Kids Summer Café, Summer Food Service Program is a safe fun way to get a nutritious meal when school is not in session. It is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12 noon to 1pm from July 3 through August 16 (closed 4th of July). No registration is required. Meals will be provided, at a first come, first serve basis.

The locations are:

· Briggs Playground, East Street, Attleboro

· Nickerson Field, Snell Street, Attleboro

· Balfour River Park, behind Attleboro Public Library

· Norton Glen Playground, 4 Norton Glen Terrace

· North Attleboro Town Hall Gazebo, 43 South Washington Street

SFSP is a privately and federally funded program administered by Massachusetts Department of Education that provides kids with a healthy lunch when school is not in session. Here in Attleboro, it is sponsored and run by the Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative, Food n’ Friends Program.

This year, the program is proud to include new local sponsorship. Willow Tree of Attleboro will be providing the chicken for sandwiches that are on the menu once a week at all the cafés. 

A returning collaborator is Attleboro YMCA. In addition to lunch, fun activities are planned for youth participating at the Attleboro and Norton Kids Summer Cafés. Food n’ Friends will provide activities at the North Attleboro site. 

With a core of volunteers and the financial support of many supporters, this program is made possible. Additional Food n’ Friends Programs are Daily Kitchens and Family Cafés. For information, call Pam Tarallo at 508-222-2933.

“In accordance with Federal law and The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal and, where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or if all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by email at program.intake@usda.gov, or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Relay Services at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.“

For the first time in decades, hunger is on the rise. Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative hosted a Spring Benefit at Hillside Country Club. The support locally was overwhelming, raising over $26,000.

This event featured a show with local comedian Candace Sallale. Our auctioneer was Tim Sullivan. Event sponsors were Acupuncture & Chiropractic Clinic and Larson Tool & Stamping Company. Mansfield Bank provided sponsorship for the grand raffle. Dinner sponsors were Janet & Jim Richardi and The Sullivan Family. Media sponsors were DoubleACS and The Sun Chronicle.

We were so grateful to Dyer-Lake Funeral Home and the talented Lizbeth Anderson who created the event flyers and program book. Brian Downey provided tech in-kind sponsorship. Event volunteers were Darchelle Clark, Rachel Davignon, Joshua Davignon, Kathy Jaaskelainin and Laura Nichols. Many others contributed, such as:

Business Advertisers – Attleboro Collision Center; Boston Harbor Wealth Advisors; Casey Law Offices, P.C.; Castro, Thresher, & Oliveira PC; Collins, Smith & O’Connor LLP; Depco Enterprises, Inc.; Rika Denshi America, Inc. and Technical Support International.

Houses of Worship Advertisers – All Saints’ Episcopal Church; Central Congregational Church; Congregation Agudas Achim; First Church of Christ, Scientist; First Congregational Church; Grace Episcopal Church; John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church; Murray Unitarian Universalist Church; Second Congregational Church; St. Gregory the Theologian and St. John the Evangelist Church.

Donation of Silent Auction Items – Attleboro Art Museum, Attleboro Jewelers, Bishop Feehan, Blackinton Inn, Blackstone River Theater, Blazejewski Family, Capron Park Zoo, The Chieftain Pub, Christakos Family, Ciancarelli Family, Veronica Clark, Corso Family, Creative Sewing Studio, Fitzy’s Pub, Footworks, Irene Frechette, Sharon Friedman, Phillip Frink, Hilliards, Hillside Country Club, Innovo Benefits Group, Jimmy’s Pub, Mansfield True Value Hardware Store, MMAS Black Box Theater, Papagallo’s, Quinn Family, Janet Richardi, Rhythm Room Salon Sparrow, Santoro Family, Sullivan Family, Louise Sullivan, Tatutina, Town Wine and Spirits, Trinity Rep and White’s Music.

Donation of Live Auction Items – Roy Belcher & Bertha Young, Ciancarelli Family, Coleman Family, Mayor Paul Heroux, Lorri Inglis, Office of Congressman Joe Kennedy III, Llamas Family, Manley Family, Charlie & Wendy Oliver, Second Congregational Church, Sullivan Family and Marcia & Glen Weidner.

The event committee included chairwoman Ellen Healey Sullivan, Adrianna Clark, Taryn Degon, Charlie Oliver, Lisa Piscatelli, Janet Richardi and Pam Tarallo.Thank you to the board of directors for all their support.

AAIC is the leading agency in the region for providing emergency meals through our Food n’ Friends Program. Last year we served 22,414 hot meals to low-income/food insecure individuals. In addition, we served 4,462 bagged lunches in the summer to children in Attleboro and North Attleboro. This year, the Kids Summer Café is expanding to serve youth in Norton.

Thanks to the core of Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative volunteers, who continue to give tirelessly of their time and hearts to plan, prepare, feed and care for all our beloved guests at Daily Kitchens, Family Cafés and Summer Kids Cafés.

Ten percent of households in Massachusetts face food insecurity. A special thank you to all those that attended and participated with the event, “Hunger to Hope.” Your support is ever so vital and valued!

Lisa Piscatelli, Executive Director

Attleboro Area Interfaith Collaborative

The Kids Summer Cafe Kickoff event is Saturday June 23, 11am-1pm at the following locations:
Attleboro
Briggs Playground East St.
Attleboro Public Library North Main St.
Attleboro Housing Authority (inside rec hall) 37 Carlon St

Norton
Norton Glen Playground 4 Norton Glen Terrace

North Attleboro
Town Hall Gazebo (in front of town pool)- 43 North Washington St.

This family event is to promote the Kids Summer Cafe which serves children and teens 18 years and younger a free bagged lunch during the summer.

All are welcome to attend. If you are interested in volunteering for this event please contact Pam Tarallo at aaic.pam@gmail.com or 508-222-2933.

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