A Thanksgiving Tradition Continues Meeting Needs | Clubs & Organizations
In the same way that Thanksgiving is a tradition, so is the dinner St. Matthew’s House provides annually for the economically disadvantaged on that much-loved holiday.
St. Matthew’s House is a Naples-based homeless shelter, food bank and provider of substance abuse recovery programs. The nonprofit prepares and serves a minimum of 500 dinners, free of charge, to all those who visit its Airport-Pulling Road main campus for the holiday meal. Meals are also provided at St. Matthew’s satellite campuses, as well for some other organizations.
The number of meals served had been inching upward each year but rose significantly two years ago as a result of the COVID pandemic. Today, St. Matthews CEO Steve Brooder foresees those numbers swelling even further due to damage wrought by Hurricane Ian.
“We’re seeing need go up in all of our critical areas: homelessness, hunger and addiction,” Brooder explained. “Studies have shown that issues we deal with are exacerbated by disasters like hurricanes and it’s proving out. There are just a lot of people who’ve been displaced, many more homeless and many who just don’t have the means or capacity to put a Thanksgiving meal on their table this year. So we think we’re going to see big numbers this year.”
That same expectation is shared by Marco Islander Bill Filbin, who started and spearheads the Marco Island Area Association of Realtors’ annual donation of side dishes for St. Matthew’s Thanksgiving dinner.
2022 will mark the 25th year the realtor for ReMax Affinity Plus on Marco has delivered the trays of holiday favorites donated by community members. He dropped off about 80 trays of side dishes last Thanksgiving morning, a total he hopes to far exceed this year to meet the heightened need that is anticipated.
“I’m a little concerned about this year because we had two pandemic years where we had a really light turnout and now, with Hurricane Ian, there are so many worthwhile, charitable organizations that that are asking for food and donations, that we’ re going to be competing with them for Thanksgiving Day,” explained Filbin. “I’m praying that we’ll have a really good turnout.”
The community is asked to donate disposable covered trays of pre-cooked and reheatable side dishes such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, baked yams, mashed and baked sweet potatoes, vegetables and other favorites, as well as boxed-up pies. Items that require refrigeration are discouraged, as are dishes with excess liquids.
Canned food and dry goods like rice, cereal, dry beans and pasta and other nonperishables are also being collected for donation to St. Matthew’s food bank.
Donations can be dropped off from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM on Thanksgiving morning at MIAOOR’s offices, located at 140 Waterway Drive. As is customary, Filbin will gather the donations and deliver them himself to St. Matthew’s. Disposable trays with lids for the side dishes can be picked up at MIAOOR headquarters or by calling or texting 239-370-8118 and Filbin will drop them off anywhere on the island.
St. Matthew’s culinary staff prepares turkeys and hams in the main campus’ kitchen. However, the facility does not have enough ovens and stovetops to prepare all the necessary side dishes for the dinners.
Brooder described the Thanksgiving donations as a tradition that has become hugely important to the Thanksgiving dinner effort.
“Everybody is so happy to see Bill when he pulls up with 60 to 75 trays of sides,” he added. “We count on it. It helps us spread our resources around knowing that Bill is going to be there to support us in that way. It’s been a tradition that everybody looks forward to. They’re so happy when they see Bill when he shows up. We see him a couple other times during the year. He’s just become a great friend and supporter of St Matthew’s House.”
For more information about the Marco Island Area Association of Realtors’ Thanksgiving side dish food drive or to have a tray dropped off, call or text Bill Filbin at 239-370-8118. For more information about St Matthew’s House, visit stmatthewshouse.org.