The Bluffton Community Assistance Program is busy this time of year.

Jami Crawfis, who directs the program's food pantry, provided the following details for persons, groups and organizations interested in adopting a family, an individual  or interested in providing donations this holiday season.

Crawfis said that there are over 60 families receiving assistance.

If an individual, family, group, organization or business wants to adopt a family they should contact Crawfis at 419-236-2944 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Contact her as soon as possible.

"Persons interested in becoming an adopting family should provide fresh, frozen and or canned food items  – or even gift cards to a grocery store – for each family as well as gifts from their wish list," said Crawfis.

She continued: "We request that the adopting persons provide food for a Christmas dinner or a gift card to purchase food for a dinner for that particular family or individual and about a week's worth of groceries to help them through the end of the month. Anything else is totally up to them. Our clients have filled out forms listing specific needs."

In addition, the donor should provide a few canned, fresh or frozen food items or another gift card to help them get some food to make it through the end of the month since they do not go in the pantry in December.

Crawfis said that are several other options for donating to the adopt-a-family program. 

"We have had groups and individuals who wanted to donate just a bunch of hygiene items or movie passes or gift cards or something that we can add to each family's gifts," she said. "And, others may simply donate money for items needed at the pantry. We welcome all these types of donations."

People donating items need to drop these at St. John’s United Church of Christ, at the corner of College and Jackson, between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21. Bluffton Boy Scouts will volunteer at the pantry to help carry donated items.

Persons receiving items will pick up their packages from 11 a.m. to noon on Dec. 21.

About the Community Assistance Program
The Community Assistance Program provides food and assistance to qualifying community members in the Bluffton school district. It also operates the Bluffton food pantry, located at St. John’s UCC. It also provides youths in need with back-to-school supplies and at Christmas time has an adopt-a-family program.

Crawfis she works with several other community volunteers. Connie Maroscher handles the monthly food pantry distribution with Basil Meyer, Donna Kidd and Elaine Harris assisting her.

Stocking the pantry each month are some former teachers from Bluffton Elementary School and other friends interested in serving the community by helping with the pantry. Nancy Yeager oversees this area.

In a typical 12-month period, the program has assisted as many as 60 families, not counting the Christmas adopt-a-family program.

Community Assistance Program board members are: Ed Yeager, Fred Steiner, Basil Meyer, Pat Rodabaugh, Jeanette Reineke, Andy Althaus and Lin Rumer. The program’s mailing address is PO Box 52, Bluffton, OH 45817.