The 36th annual Macedon Community Christmas Program saw an outpouring of donations from many individuals, families, businesses, and organizations in Macedon, Walworth, and Gananda. The program is a 100% volunteer-run collaboration that provides food and gifts to Macedon and Walworth area families in need. The program depends on donations from the community, as well as volunteers who help in many ways to make the program a success. Committee members start meeting in September, to plan and coordinate the program.

This year, 155 families received a food box with the ingredients for a holiday meal and more. Children and seniors received gifts, and families received gift cards for items like milk, eggs, personal items or gas. In all, over 425 individuals received assistance. This included over 60 seniors and 164 children and teens in the Macedon and Walworth communities.

Organizations from churches, to civic groups, businesses, Girl Scouts, Pal-Mac and Gananda schools, as well as families and individuals donated food, gift cards, gifts, coats,  mittens, hand-made scarves, hats, and socks. Many volunteers  helped organize the donations and made sure each of the 155 families received the food and gifts they needed. There is a flurry of activity the week before the items are handed out to make sure everything is ready for pick-up. The basement at St. Patrick’s Church in Macedon is a busy place as volunteers from the community, including students from Pal-Mac, Mercy, and Gananda, help carry out the food boxes. Volunteers also deliver items to individuals who are unable to drive.

The Macedon Community Christmas Program is part of the Macedon Food Pantry, which is spearheaded by the Social Ministry Committee of St. Katharine Drexel Parish. The pantry receives financial support from local churches, organizations, and individual contributions.  The food pantry receives food from a number of yearly drives (most notably by the Pal-Mac and Gananda schools, the Macedon Post Office and the Boy Scouts) and individual contributions of food. The Macedon Food Pantry is a member of Foodlink, and is in compliance with their rules and regulations, and receives food and other offered benefits from the organization.

The Macedon Food Pantry is open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM.

If you would like to hold a food drive, or help out at any point during the year, please send an e-mail to: macedoncommunitychristmas@yahoo.com.