Planning a little holiday shopping this weekend? The staff and volunteers at Catholic Charities of the V.I. are hoping there’s room on your list for some of the less fortunate folks in the community.
CCVI will conduct its fourth annual food drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday on St. Thomas and St. Croix, collecting nonperishable items to be used at the Bethlehem Shelters on both islands as well as in soup kitchens and street outreach programs throughout the territory.
“We’ll be outside Plaza Extra and Cost-U-Less on St. Thomas, as well as in the center court at Tutu Park Mall,” said Andrea Shillingford, assistant to the executive director. “On St. Croix, we’ll be at Plaza Extra West, Cost-U-Less and Food Town.”
High on the wish list are Vienna sausages, corned beef, canned tuna and canned salmon. Also in demand are soap, toothpaste and other toiletries, and new, still-in-the-package underwear in all sizes for men, women and children. Cash contributions are also welcome.
Shillingford said the drive this year is more important than ever “now that all of our local grants have been reduced” because of government shortfalls. She said the organization is operating on approximately 10 percent less in the current fiscal year.
V.I. government funds for mobile outreach dropped from $133,500 to $120,000 and the appropriations for the shelters went from $89,000 in each district to $80,000, she said.
Organizers are confident of a positive response from the community.
“It has been very good every year,” Shillingford said. “I would say safely that like 90 percent of the people who go through the door” come out of the store with items to contribute. “Hardly do we have anyone who would tell us no.”
Last year’s drive was held in November and the staples collected lasted until July. This year, Shillingford said, “we are hoping it will see us through to September” – the end of the fiscal year.
