TERRE HAUTE — “Busy, busy,” Peg Hughes said inside the Light House Mission as volunteers disbursed a record number of Thanksgiving Day food baskets to their neighbors.
Men, women and children lined the block around 1450 Wabash Ave. on Tuesday to pick up a holiday food bag. This year, the Light House Mission distributed 1,550 food baskets in a day, up from last year’s then-record-breaking 1,300.
“That’s the highest we’ve ever had in our history,” Light House Mission development director Bonnie Wallace said as recipients filed through.
Still, cleaning her office after several days of preparations, Wallace said their holiday food program is a tradition. “It’s something the Mission has done for a long time,” she said of the agency founded in Vigo County in 1890.
But for numerous reasons already documented in what many report to be the worst economic climate since the Great Depression, this year’s need is higher than those past, she and others said.
This year, the Light House Mission baskets included 980 turkeys. Some 570 recipients found chickens in their bag, depending on family status and need. Wallace said funds played a role in that split. In addition to the meat, five pounds of potatoes, canned corn, green beans, macaroni and cheese, Jell-O, a box of cake mix, peanut butter, applesauce and a loaf of bread were also included, she said.
Recipients are screened in coordination with The Salvation Army according to federal poverty guidelines, she explained, noting that more than 1,000 walked through the facility’s line before 3:30 p.m. “So it’s been very busy,” she said.
Those waiting outside came into the building 40 people at a time in 15-minute intervals, walking in line along tables in the cafeteria where different food products were stacked for distribution. Men and women of all ages, some carrying toddlers, marched along from Jell-O to macaroni and cheese.
Barbara Lynch was one of about 50 volunteers working from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “I think it’s terrific,” she said of the number of those helping, in addition to those who donated food to the cause.
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
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Light House Mission distributes record number of Thanksgiving Food Baskets
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