On behalf of the families using our St. Barbara Food Pantry — thank you. With your generous donations of bags of groceries, toiletries and monetary donations, we are able to feed over 200 families this year for Thanksgiving.

I am so thankful to work in the company of many individuals who volunteer with our pantry and donate regularly. I am so very thankful for you all.

I apologize in advance for anyone I have missed, but I need to recognize the many area churches which contribute to our pantry. In a special way, we want to thank the parishioners of these congregations: St. Barbara, Holy Covenant MCC, St. Louise de Marillac, St. John of the Cross, Christ Presbyterian Church, the Village Church of LaGrange Park, St. Michael Lutheran, Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church, First Congregational Church UCC, New Apostolic Church and the First United Methodist Church of LaGrange. Despite doctrinal differences, we manage to feed the poor in our midst, and I am so thankful for every one of these fine churches.

Many community organizations also support the pantry, including Riverside-Brookfield High School, Congress Park School, CSA Fraternal Life Lodge Yankee Jungmann, LaGrange Park Police Department, Brookfield Chamber of Commerce, CSA Fraternal Life Lodge Century of Progress Bila Hora #231, all of the various St. Vincent de Paul societies, Tom Carlson, the U.S. Postal Service, our local scout troops and all who contribute by sponsoring a local food drive. I am thankful that feeding the poor crosses the borders of individual groups and villages and concerns us all.

We wish to thank three area businesses which are instrumental in our success. The LaGrange Park Jewel/Osco collects donations on our behalf to purchase turkey dinners for our neighbors at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Dennis Tischler of Tischler’s in Brookfield, who year-round donates to our pantry from his own pockets and asks his shoppers to buy meals for the poor each time they shop, supplies us with food we need at cost and gives us paper bags to distribute food. Trader Joe’s also supplies us with paper bags. I am so thankful for everything you do for the least of us.

Thank you again for your generosity. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season.

Sister Margaret Halligan, CSJ, director

St. Barbara Pastoral Care

Brookfield