May your holidays be filled with Comfort and Joy!

Happy Holidays! And a heartfelt "thank you" to all our volunteers and Friends of FISH for providing aid to local families through the Holiday Food Basket Program.  This year 500 families received a large box of fresh produce, cheese, and a $50 gift card to a local grocery store – oh, yes, comfort and joy accompanied each food basket.

Our packing volunteers spent a busy day (and got a good workout!) filling each box with beautiful produce and placing them on tables at Hanna Center.  Another group of volunteers distributed the boxes on December 16th, a sunny Saturday.  The planning, distribution, and clean-up were accomplished in the spirit of the holiday season and every volunteer experienced the joy and satisfaction that comes from community service. Special thanks to our friends at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn for donating oranges, and Recology for donating a receptacle for recycling cardboard.

The tradition of Holiday Bell Ringing helps offset the cost of the Holiday Food Baskets that was just over $40,000 this year.  In December our local Rotary Clubs, churches, and friends of FISH rang bells at Glen Ellen Market, Lucky’s, Safeway, and Sonoma Market.  Many of those ringing bells heard stories about how FISH had helped in the past and often heard the phrase, “We love FISH.”  In January we will share more information about Bell Ringing.  (Fun fact – our Rotarians and members at St. Andrew Presbyterian have been ringing bells since 2004!)

Last year the Pennies for Produce campaign replaced the Canned Food Drives at the local schools and businesses.  The Holiday Food Baskets contain all fresh produce and to offset that increased cost, Pennies for Produce emerged.  Hundreds of pounds of change has been collected, and in January I will report about the locations that participated (including El Verano School, pictured below) and both the poundage and amount collected through this special campaign.

Our post office box was another location where comfort and joy could be found.  Numerous notes were addressed to “the angels at FISH” which aptly describes our hardworking volunteers.  The monetary donations received from our website, our post office box, and through bell ringing have allowed us to continue the important work of helping our neighbors in need.

There is so much more to share – but it will wait until January and our annual report.  I hope these pictures capture the “spirit of FISH” during this holiday season where comfort and joy abound.

- Sandy