Share on FacebookTweetFollow us
Read More
Community Comes to the Support Of Local Groups During the Holida
TEAM Shelves Get Stacked With Food During Tough Times
By Nichole Butler
For the past 25 years, Florissant and Hazelwood has been blessed by a volunteer-operated organization called The Emergency Assistance Ministry (TEAM).
“When people were in need,” Seeney said, “they looked for the church steeples. ” said Betty Seeney, director for the past 11 years. “The churches got together and wanted to have one place for people to go to get the help they needed.” Seeney has been a volunteer since 1986.
More than 30 area churches sponsor the organization, which provides food to low-income residents in Florissant and Hazelwood.
TEAM started in the basement of the Lutheran Church of Atonement and then later set up shop in the garage of a Hazelwood resident’s home. TEAM now owns its current building location at 265 St. Catherine in Old Town Florissant.
Today, TEAM consists of more than 100 volunteers who do everything from answering phone calls to stocking shelves to delivering meals.
On Saturday, Dec. 3, the shelves at TEAM were well stocked, though Seeney said that is not the norm. “We are very thankful to the people of Florissant and Hazelwood,” Seeney said. If it were not for the recent surge of donations, the shelves would not be quite so impressive.
TEAM, which does receive some government commodities, depends greatly on the donations of Florissant and Hazelwood residents. “We typically provide for 35 or 40 families on a daily basis, but on Thanksgiving we were able to provide for 70 families in the area.”
The only two main requirements to receive help from TEAM is that a person be a resident of either Florissant or Hazelwood and retain a low income.
(continued on page 4)
“Everything is always in need,” Seeney said “because everything is always being handed out. People will ask ‘can we bring in meat?’ Ah, if you bring in meat, well, God bless you! Chili, spaghetti with meatballs, anything with meat.”
TEAM also supplies toiletries for low-income families. “We get monetary donations, and that goes to purchasing shampoos, toothpaste, toilet paper, and soaps. Some people have food stamps and they can buy food with those, but that’s it. They are still in need of other products,” Seeney said.
To receive, volunteer, or donate call 314-831-0879 or stop by their office.
The shelves of the TEAM food pantry were pretty much filed over the weekend, but that’s not often the case as The Emergency Assistance Ministry in Old Town Florissant constantly is in need of food and supplies for those who need the services in our area, especially during the holiday season. Nichole Butler photo
The 13th Annual
Ecumenical Dinner
Served More Than Ever
By Nichole Butler
For the first time in memory, the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Dinner that always takes place on Thanksgiving Day ran out of food. The event, held at St. Ferdinand School in Florissant would not have been such a success all these years if it weren’t for the volunteers.
“We probably served more (people) than ever before. That hall was completely filled all day,” said Pat Von Nida, founder of the organization which started in 1999.
The dinner, which included 600 pounds of turkey, was open from 11:30 that morning until the food ran out at 2:30 that afternoon.
“We’ve never ran out of food before,” Von Nida said. “We’ll have to think about ordering more for next year.”
The Ecumenical Thanksgiving Dinner is made possible with a collaboration of several volunteers, including whole families who come in and donate a little of their time on the holiday.
Beyond the food that was able to be served at the dinner, take-out-orders were provided for those who wanted to bring a meal to someone they knew in need who could not attend the dinner at the school. Homeless who had no way of transportation to the dinner were driven in by bus. Hats, scarves, and gloves were distributed to those who had none. Over $500 in freewill donations and raffle tickets were donated to TEAM. (Read more about TEAM on page …)
The success of this year’s dinner proves that the great needs of the people in the Saint Louis area can be met by the generosity of others. To volunteer your time for next year’s Ecumenical Thanksgiving Dinner, call 314-831-3781 or visit www.freedinner.org.
