By Melanie York
Pittsboro, NC – The Chatham Winter Weather Survival Drive held a second successful distribution event on Monday, December 11 at the Siler City Center for Active Living. 2,250 winter outerwear items, blankets and sleeping bags, including 410 coats were made available to the 300 attendees. In addition, The Quiltmaker Café provided 200 servings of hot hearty and healthy foods. The Encore Briar Chapel Santa’s Elves prepared beautiful delicious sweet treats that were a delight to all in attendance. Hygiene kits were available courtesy of Carolina Meadows and the Salvation Army. All items and foods were successfully distributed to our Chatham neighbors in need.
The Chatham WWSD is immensely grateful for the generosity of our distribution event sponsors, Siler City Center for Active Living of County Aging Services for the use of the Holly Brooks Room and Dining Room, The Quiltmaker Café for food and food service, CORA Food Pantry for inventory transportation, staff assistance and outstanding support. Our storage and donation processing center at 79 West Mosaic Chatham Park has been an essential element of the success of the Chatham Winter Weather Survival project.
We are grateful for the generous donations from several groups including Chapel Hill-Carrboro Area Alumnae of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated and the Chapel Hill Indian Association. Our thanks to the many individual donations from the benevolence of our Chatham County residents.
The Orgullo Latinx Pride Youth Group from Jordan Matthews High School led by Carmen Monter, Program Coordinator, contributed significantly to the event as community service volunteers. Thank you Anthony, Jose’, Manuel, Einy, Guan Carlo, Julian, and Carmen. A transportation crew from Encore Briar Chapel were invaluable in assisting with inventory move from Pittsboro to Siler City. Volunteers from The Local Church, Chapel in the Pines, Pittsboro United Methodist Church, Encore Briar Chapel, Salvation Army of Chatham, Chatham Literacy, County Sheriff’s Department all contributed significantly to the success of the event.
The Chatham Winter Weather Survival Drive 2023 launched this community-wide project at eight donation collection locations beginning on October 1 with the goal to continue through December. The WWSD will continue through Wednesday, December 20. We are grateful to all of the WWSD collection locations and the personnel that make this important endeavor possible. If you have questions contact: myork928@gmail.com.