ThanksgivingCares Press Release 2004

The LeadershipCares Foundation
10181 Nightingale Street
Gaithersburg, MD 20882

Ron Yudd (301) 540-5791
www.leadershipcares.org

YOUNG PEOPLE FROM LEADERSHIPCARES PROVIDED THANKSGIVING BASKETS TO FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE D.C. AREA AS PART OF THEIR SEVENTH ANNUAL THANKSGIVINGCARES INITIATIVE.  OVER 700 FAMILIES (5,600 MEALS)  WERE SERVED IN THE GAITHERSBURG, ROCKVILLE, ASPEN HILL, WHEATON, SILVER SPRING,TAKOMA PARK AND PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY AREAS ON NOVEMBER 23rd, 2004.

November 29th, 2004.  LeadershipCares, an organization that teaches leadership skills to teenagers and young adults, assembled and delivered baskets of ingredients to prepare a complete Thanksgiving meal for families in need as part of their annual ThanksgivingCares initiative. The baskets were assembled by groups of enthusiastic volunteers on Monday, November 22 and Tuesday, November 23, 2004, and then delivered the afternoon of the 23rd. Teens from the Mentor Cares program, Boys and Girls Clubs and caring adults living in the Metropolitan area volunteered their time organizing, assembling and delivering baskets to families in need.

The gymnasium in the Boys and Girls Club of Silver Spring was converted into the assembly and distribution center for this year’s program. On Monday middle and high school students from the Silver Spring Club helped to fill baskets. A large contingent of very enthusiastic students from the Mentor Cares Program at Northwestern High School in Prince Georges County worked on Tuesday completing and staging the boxes for delivery.

Students from Northwestern High School in Prince Georges County who participated in the event also worked very hard to raise over $2,000 to support the effort.

Culinary students from Thomas Edison High School in Montgomery County prepared over 80 dozen cookies for the baskets.  

For the fifth year in a row Basic Necessities, a non-profit run by twin sisters Madeline and Hannah Carretero provided shampoos, soaps and lotions for the baskets. These young local leaders have had a major impact on families in need throughout the Metropolitan area by collecting and distributing sample size soaps, shampoos and lotions. 

The 703 baskets represent over 5,600 meals. Deliveries were coordinated with various agencies throughout the area. The organizations that received baskets included Catholic Charities, Linkages to Learning, the Muslim Inter-Community Network and the Mt. Horab 7th Day Adventist Church. Deliveries were made to Fox Chapel, Broad Acres, Rolling Terrace, Montgomery Knolls, New Hampshire Estates and Harmony Hills Elementary Schools. Deliveries were also made to families in Prince Georges County.

The following groups and individuals supported this year’s hunger relief efforts:

• Ms. Sheree Johnson-Director-Teen Programs-Boys and Girls Club-Silver Spring
• Tracy and Ray Walls from Northwestern High School-Mentor Cares Program
• Northwestern High School Mentor Cares Students-Prince Georges County
• Chef Teresa Smith and the Culinary Students at Thomas Edison High School 
• Hannah and Madeline Carretero-Basic Necessities
• Barbara, Jennifer and Tyler Yudd- Donated 3,000 toothbrushes for the baskets
• Bruce Becker, Debby Hurley, Steve Fisher and Stan Mallow-Weis Markets Inc.
• Executive Chef Gary Kleckner-Paradiso Italian Restaurant, Alexandria, VA.
• Ms. Darlene Bruton-Northwestern High School
• Brian Willcoxon-Good Counsel High School
• Executive Chef Don Perez, United States Senate Restaurants, U.S. Capitol
• Ms. Karen Robb and Potomac Counsel
• Ms. Kera Drabick-Bretton Woods Recreation Center 
• Penske Trucks/Cenit Leasing-Rockville MD

“Our mission is to increase awareness about hunger in our area and to give young people an opportunity to actually do something about it by getting involved. The number of families in need continues to grow and through our initiative we are trying to provide a short respite for those that need help all year long.” —Lula J. Davis, Executive Director, LeadershipCares.  

LeadershipCares provides an opportunity for those living in the area to volunteer as “hands-on” participants to help make a difference for those in need. Teenagers and young adults learn and practice leadership skills through their participation. For more information about the ThanksgivingCares initiative, LeadershipCares and how to get directly involved call (301) 540-5791 or visit our web site at www.leadershipcares.org