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‘Friends’ help brighten holidays

Throughout Sonoma Valley, the annual Friends in Sonoma Helping holiday food drive is underway. This year marks the 43rd year FISH will distribute boxes filled with non-perishable foods, fresh produce, eggs and a gift card to redeem for a main course at a local market. Last year nearly 500 Valley families received food boxes, some delivered directly to homebound neighbors.

“To visualize how much food is needed, imagine doing your family’s regular food shopping 500 times,” said drive co-chairs Bette Holloway and Sandy Drew. “Every donation will be helping members of our community who are in need this holiday season.”

Starting this week, neighbors will see collection barrels at many local businesses and Sonoma Valley public schools. Donate non-perishable food items such as canned and boxed goods, rice, beans and pasta.

To receive a Holiday Food Basket, recipients must register in advance. Registration will take place on: December 3 from 9 to 11 a.m. at First Wednesday, Faith Lutheran Church on Arnold Drive; December 5 and 12 from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at Craig Avenue Baptist Church; and December 10 and 17 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at La Luz, 17560 Greger Street.

On Saturday, December 20. registered clients will pick up their Holiday Food Box at Hanna Boys Center between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. If any food remains, non-registered families may stop by from 2 to 3 p.m.

The Holiday Food program is a collaborative effort involving many volunteers plus local businesses and nonprofit organizations. Already the Sonoma Valley Cub and Boy Scouts and Sonoma Raceway have collected food items from generous members of the community. Hanna Boys Center hosts the packing and distribution of Holiday Food boxes, Catholic Charities of Santa Rosa provides a driver and van to help transport food from storage to Hanna Boys Center and Redwood Empire Food Bank fills in gaps to ensure that all recipients receive a full box of food.

For more information about registering for a Holiday Food Basket, to make a food donation, to volunteer for sorting and boxing food or to write a check to support the food giveaway program contact F.I.S.H. at 707-996-0111. Cash donations can be mailed to F.I.S.H. at P.O. Box 507, Sonoma, CA 95476. All donations help!

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