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For the past 12 years the Rotary Club of Vista has partnered with Food4Less in Vista to engage our community and Food4Less customers in supporting 75 Camp Pendleton military families during the holidays. Additionally, with contributions from club members and generous donors, Vista Rotary has been able to purchase turkeys and hams to pair with the donated food items (holiday side dishes) to provide a complete holiday meal. Participating families are selected by the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) at Camp Pendleton and the food distribution is done in conjunction with the Santa's Workshop toy distribution in early December sponsored by the ASYMCA.
The Holiday Meal program starts with a food drive at Food4Less in early December. The food drive is staffed by club members and community volunteers who distribute "needs lists" to customers entering the store, who are invited to peruse the list and buy items they can then donate as they leave the store (scalloped potatoes, yams, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, canned corn and green beans, and more). Customers are also invited to contribute cash to help support purchase of missing items as well as turkeys and hams to complete the meals. Food products are boxed (one complete meal per box)and distributed to families at the Santa's Workshop event on base in mid-December. Club members volunteer to distribute meals at the event. Pictures of the food distribution set-up are included with this application.
The budget listed below is for purchase of turkeys and hams. Last year the club spent approximately $1,600 for these purchases and we anticiate the cost will be higher this year because of rising food prices. We are budgeting $1,800 for this purpose and are requesting a matching grant of $200.
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