The Bluffton Community Assistance Program is busy at this time of year. Here’s a chat the Icon had with Jamie Crawfis, who directs the  program's food pantry.

Jamie, what does the food pantry do for clients during Thanksgiving?

We have Thanksgiving dinners coming from the Bluffton University nutrition students. Those dinners were delivered on Nov. 21.

We also give gift cards so that our clients can buy either a turkey or ham and some other items to make a Thanksgiving dinner.

What takes place in December?

In December, none of our clients will go into the actual pantry and take food away, so that is why it is very important to have all of our families adopted out.

The adopting families will 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.

How does someone or a group adopt a family for Christmas?

If an individual, family, group, organization or business wants to adopt a family they should contact me at 419-236-2944 or via e-mail at [email protected]

What is the deadline to sign up?

As soon as possible.

What are the food and gift donation requirements?

There is no specific requirement. We do 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.

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. 

Can money be donated if a family is not available for adoption?

Definitely. We have had groups or individuals who wanted to donate just a bunch of hygiene items or a bunch of movie passes or gift cards or something that we can add to each family's gifts. Or persons may simply donate money for items needed at the pantry.

People donating items need to drop these at St. John’s United Church of Christ off between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19. Persons receiving items cannot pick up until 10 a.m. to noon.