SUN CITY – Sun City resident Annalee Boles of N. 36 started âSharing Our Blessingsâ, five years ago with Laurie Larkin to help feed those in need.
âWe got in touch with the Grafton food pantry, and they were very receptive to the idea. We started contacting the chair people of each of the neighborhoods asking them to participate in distributing the flyers, and that worked out well because they distributed the flyers in the lifestyles magazine. We were able to spread our wings a little, and encourage everyone in Sun City to participate,â Boles said.
Donations can be dropped off at Bole’s house, 14090 Lavender Street Huntley, IL now through October 14
âThe need is obvious and the need is there.â
The drive began on October 8, and will continue until October 14. All donations should be delivered to Boles’ residence at 14090 Lavender Street. Someone will be at Boles address at all times to accept donations. In its first year, Sharing Our Blessings was able to fill three buses and two cars with non-perishable items and toiletries.
âWe really loaded them downâ, Boles said.
Grafton food pantry remarked that Sharing Our Blessings was the largest donor of goods that year. This year Sharing Our Blessings has gone outside Sun City, and contacted banks and businesses in the Huntley area.
âWe [have] had some success with that. Two of the banks, Harris Bank, and Castle Bank, are participating in the food drive, and we have our flyers out at Papa Gâs, and the Tropical [Smoothie] CafĂ© . . . itâs working out pretty wellâ, Boles said. âPretty simple, but the whole thing has snowballed over the years, and I think people become more comfortable [with donating] when they see . . . the same sharing blessings food drive year after year.â
Over the past five years Sharing Our Blessings has helped Grafton Food Pantry feed countless people, but its mission is not over. In fact, âthere are more families in need today then there were five years agoâ, Boles said.
âThe food pantry tells us that people who used to donate to the food pantry are now coming in, and asking for help themselves,â she added.
Boles encouraged all residents to help give back to those in need.
âIt takes just a little effort to try, and make a little bit of difference. This is not just a Sun City effort, we are asking the entire Huntley community to walk with us during this timeâ, she said.
