This Thanksgiving the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield are thankful for local partners the Foundation Trust, Restoration Road, and Early Harvest for sponsoring a full Thanksgiving dinner for members of the clubs this year. Thanks to their generosity, Club children and their families were given carry-out meal cases of turkey, cranberries, stuffing and mashed potatoes during the week of Thanksgiving.
“The Foundation Trust is honored to support this year’s Thanksgiving Dinner. Knowing that more families than ever are facing food insecurity, we are grateful that the Clubs have found a way to hold this important community event this year,” said Foundation Trust Executive Director Dr. Joseph Spinazzola.
“Looking back on a year that has presented such unique challenges, we commend the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield for the many ways they have stepped up to help the community over the last few months. At every turn, they have been compassionate and creative in their responses to community needs,” said Lauren Liecau, Manager of the Foundation Trust.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Stoneham & Wakefield knows how important it is to support local families during the holidays, and the need is even greater during these challenging times when we are unable to gather together in person. Wakefield Club Director Joe D’Alessandro, who started this tradition years ago, knows from personal experience how great a role these programs play in the community.
“The Thanksgiving dinner program has been a huge success and I could go on for days on how important these programs are. Somehow we keep figuring out ways to make it even more special–even during a pandemic!”
While this was an extremely challenging year for our local restaurants, Early Harvest Diner in Wakefield and their owners: Red Rami, Mark Samson, and Jetmir Vertopi stepped up “We are always happy to support the Boys & Girls Clubs. We believe in supporting community organizations and giving back however we can, especially now,” said Red Rami, owner of Early Harvest Diner.
Restoration Road Church has also continued to be an important source of support for this and other holiday events. “Even though Thanksgiving may look different this year, we are happy to support our partners like the Boys and Girls Clubs. Together, we’re happy to support local families and make sure that everyone has what they need to stay safe and healthy over the Christmas season,” said Pastor Joie of Restoration Road.
