2009 in review: 
During 2009 we served an average of 817 households each month. This is a 4% increase over the 788 households served in 2008 and a 24% increase over the 635 households served in 2007. We interviewed (and those of you who did this work probably have writers cramp) an average of 93 new clients each month up from 61 in 2007. On one Saturday morning they interviewed twenty clients which I am pretty sure is a record!! We just finished the month of January having served 1015 households including 130 new clients so it appears we are going to continue to be pretty busy.
Christmas Toy Program: 
We had a very successful Christmas Program once again and this year we provided toys and gifts to over 700 children. Joyce Simonis took over the role of Queen of Toys and did a wonderful job. The previous Queen & Director, Jeanette Lynch and Secretary Mary Kocot were a major support to Joyce. There was also a wonderful crew of elves who shopped, sorted, organized and handed the toys/gifts to the parents who signed up for our program. Glenn & Rebecca Armbruster, son and daughter- in-law of Ron Armbruster donated money to purchase 50 bikes and helmets! There is nothing quite like the look on the parents’ faces when they realize that it is going to be a very special Christmas after all.
Thanksgiving: 
The turkey crew was in good form on November 23rd when we distributed 567 turkeys and baskets with all the fixings to our families. It is a bit of the battles of the sexes when the guys: Ray Sacramone, Leo Dunphy, Rich Graveline, Same Simonis, Larry Hake & his brother-in-law Skip try to keep up the pace with the gals on the desk: Karen Campbell, Mary Kocot, Jeanette Lynch, Kay Sacramone & Joyce Simonis. This has become more efficient each year. In 2009 we mastered the art of in one door and out the other and for the 2nd year in a row we opened for business prior to our stated start time which minimized any waiting time.
Cape Cod Chronicle: 
For the past 6 years our very good friends at the Chronicle have run a fundraising campaign called The Neighbor Helping Neighbor Fund. In that time period they have contributed close to $175,000.00!!! Hank Hyora always starts the campaign with a challenge to other businesses and individuals to match his $500 donation and this year 17 people met that challenge. There were 209 donors and the fund brought in $46,182! This is a great help to our toy program as well as filling the shelves with food in the first quarter of 2010.
Would you like to help the Family Pantry
receive part of a million dollars?
For several years the Alan Feinstein Foundation has distributed a million dollars to anti-hunger agencies and the Family Pantry will be one of those agencies this year! The way this works is we keep track of donations during the months of March and April and report it to the Feinstein Foundation who then makes proportional grants to the agencies who participated. It will be a nice revenue source and a great way to increase awareness about hunger. So thank you for helping us receive a part of that million dollars!
You can learn more about this program by visiting the Feinsten website www.feinsteinfoundation.org
Calling all Recipes: 
We are still looking for more recipes for our Family Pantry Cookbook. Chris Howard is heading up this fundraising project and awaiting your best culinary efforts. The categories are: Appetizers/Beverages, Soups & Salads, Vegetables/Side Dishes, Main Dishes, Bread/Rolls, desserts (my personal favorite), cookies/Candy, This/That. Please email to Chris @ ccodevans@yahoo.com, or leave in the pantry office in the hanging folder labeled “Recipes” .
Board of Directors: 
The board has two very active committees. One committee, headed by Richard Waystack with Directors; Amy Camenga, Lorraine Cowhey, Kathleen Magnusson & George Morris & Executive Director, Mary Anderson is working on strategic planning. The Board hired consultant Chip Bishop who has developed the process with the committee. In January we collected data from three focus groups: Trustees, Volunteers, and Community Leaders as well as surveyed clients with specific questions about future direction. On February 26th the Board will meet for a day to set goals and priorities for the pantry. We are very grateful to The Cape Cod Foundation who provided a grant to us which will pay for this undertaking.
The second committee headed by Don Milbier with Directors Claudia Crockett & Kathleen Magnusson and with major assistance from Director Elizabeth Duggan, is looking at interior modifications to the pantry to better serve our clients and manage the growth we have experienced. A big thank you to all of the volunteers who filled out questionnaires about the various functions in the pantry and the space needs associated with those functions. We are now working with an Architect to try to mesh all the ideas into a well designed remodel plan.
Stay tuned for updates from both of these endeavors.
Thursday Nights: 
Beginning February 18, 2010 we have added a new shift to accommodate the growth in the number of people using our services. We will be open 5:30 to 7:30PM each Thursday. I thought the hardest part would be finding staff for this new shift but in no time at all we have a full roster. We have a few experienced hands: Bob Hirtle, Mary Larkin & Joyce Simonis, a few Second Glance Volunteers who are major multitaskers: Karen Campbell & Sue Harrington and several new and enthusiastic volunteers: Mary Hall, Sue Henken, Beth Kastritis, Peggy Kenney, Tom Loftus, Meaghan Mahan, Kathy Mello, John O’Brien, Gabby Parker, Jackie Piliero, Bill Riley, Ruth Walicky & Rick Whitehead. Additionally Carole Davis & Mary Ann Ryer will be helping to implement a computer check in process. It is a great chance to try this and Carol & Mary Ann will make sure we get the process working correctly. Directors Mary Kocot, Jeanette Lynch & Anne Watson & Trustee Mary Larking are helping to get everything running smoothly.
Annual Meeting: 
Save the date: March 24 is the annual meeting of the pantry and everyone is invited to attend. The meeting will be held at the pantry in the way back. The social hour is 6 to 7 and the meeting is 7 to 8. It is a great chance to socialize with your fellow volunteers and hear about the pantry’s 2009 accomplishments and the Board of Directors Strategic Planning progress.
Second Glance Thrift Shop: Open Tuesday – Saturday 10-3 located at 4 Cross Street Harwich Port:
Our upscale thrift shop turns three this February and we will be celebrating in the shop on February 24th with a birthday cake and coverage by Channel 18. It is hard to believe that what started as kind of a crazy idea Claudia & Mary convinced the Board to try has turned into a solid revenue stream for us. This would not be possible without a tremendous crew of volunteers who work very hard helping the customers with purchases, unpacking the “new” stock, ironing, pricing, arranging and rearranging the clothes on the racks, jewelry in the case and household items on the shelves, keeping the shop clean & neat and many more tasks. Second Glance would never had been the success it is without Director Lorraine Cowhey who manages the store, Team Leaders: Cindy Lastih, Susan Harrington, Maryalice Bedenbaugh & Claudia Crockett and Betty Anne Holman whose windows catch everyone’s eyes and Joyce Simonis who does a wonderful job with the jewelry department.
Tambolleos Retire: 
After close to twenty years of dedicated volunteer work Ruth & John Tambolleo have retired. Ruth had run the Saturday Morning shift for many years and did an outstanding job managing the crew and the clients which have numbered close to 100 on some Saturdays. John worked in the warehouse and kept a good eye on everything that was going on. We will all miss them. Last week some of the Saturday crew had a nice lunch at Clancy’s in honor of Ruth & John.
Ocean State Classic: 
The Back Office Associates 70s all star softball team won their second annual Ocean State Classic. This would certainly not be possible with our own Jack Ferrie who keeps in shape by working in the Bottles & Cans Emporium here at the pantry.
Second Glance Sales Contest: 
For three months we had a sales contest by the day of the week. Barse.com, the sterling silver company that donated 75 pairs of beautiful earrings & 2 lovely necklaces also donated three $40.00 gift certificates as a sales incentive. The winners were as follows:
August – Wednesday – Charlotta Reynders
September – Friday – donated back to shop
October – Saturday – Dot Anderson
Christmas Party: 
The pantry volunteers were not deterred by a threatened nor’easter and turned out in fine form for a fun afternoon. Jack & Eileen entertained us with music and Christmas trivia questions. The following volunteers must be the pantry brain trust because they won the prizes which were the winner’s choice of a gift card to Cranberry Liquors or a Cape Cod Sweatshirt:
Kathy Phillips, Claudia Crockett, Dick Skinner, Dot Eddy, Nancy Healy, Valerie Gonsalves-Perry, Mortzi, John Quinn, Joe Lastih and Marie Hayes. The grand prize was a lovely antique television which may or may not work and it went to Hank Jensen who looked forward to watching the Superbowl on his new TV.
Contact us at: 
The Family Pantry
133 Queen Anne Rd.
Harwich, Ma. 02645
Tel 508 432-6519 Fax. 508 432-7083
Web. www.thefamilypantry.com
Email.manderson@thefamilypantry.com