Families served by an Aurora food pantry were set to receive Easter treats Wednesday, March 24.
Aurora churches and Aurora area community groups were partners ready to hand out 350 Easter baskets to families served by Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry, 1110 Jericho Road in Aurora.
Rebecca “Becky” Dunnigan, pantry community outreach and program coordinator, said baskets were filled with toys, books, bubbles, chalk, kites, candy, and filled plastic eggs. The items were placed in colored baskets wrapped in cellophane.
Volunteers from St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church, Aurora, assembled baskets Monday at the Food Pantry.
St. Athanasios volunteers represented the Church’s Philoptohes “Friends of the Poor” group.
New England Congregational Church volunteers assembled baskets Friday. New England Church congregants donated plastic and shredded paper grass to line baskets.
Dunnigan said, “This was an event done probably 20 years ago. We resurrected it.”
She stressed the event was sold out in advance with registration at capacity.
In addition to the Food Pantry, project partners were New England Congregational Church, St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church, New Horizon Christian Fellowship, and Community Christian Church, all in Aurora; along with Aurora Public Library, O’Donnell Elementary School Girl Scout Troop 4340, Rosary High School Rotary Club, It’s Fit Time fitness studio and Fannie May, Aurora; Kim Grant realtor, Oswego; and John Greene Realtor, Naperville.
—Al Benson