New fundraiser for Harvest House is Saturday

Vernon — The volunteers at Harvest House have created a new fundraiser, a vendor fair, Saturday, April 21, at Vernon Colonial Plaza in McAfee. Hauda Ward, owner of Nearly New Consignments, is host of the event. She has served Harvest House for years, allowing her business to be a food drop-off point and selling Gertrude Hawk candy bars. She even has a consignment account set up for Harvest House. Anyone with clothing in good condition but no longer wanted can donate it to the Harvest House account, and all proceeds from those sales go directly to Harvest House. Ward’s shop has enabled her to donate over $2,000 from October 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007. The vendor fair alone will bring the Harvest House more than $450. “Each vendor pays a $30 fee to be there, and the entire fee goes to Harvest House,” said Villano. In addition to items from the vendors, Boy Scouts will sell hot dogs, Batman will be on hand to meet the kids, there will even be some Karaoke. Harvest House will have its own table set up as well, selling the Gertrude Hawk bars. Harvest House was started in 1998 when students at Vernon Township High School saw a need for a soup kitchen in the north of the county. After researching and documenting that need, they applied and received the Paul Newman Make a Difference Grant of $10,000. Once they had start-up money in hand, they needed a location. Pastor Wade Abbott was gracious enough to lend the First Baptist Church in Sussex’s large hall and kitchen to the cause. Harvest House served its first meal in 2000. Now seven years later, Harvest House has a group of about 60 volunteers who help cook and serve lunch daily under the direction of supervisor Phyllis Bowlby. She and a rotating team of three or four volunteers make lunch for anywhere from 30 to 40 people daily. There are no criteria — anyone who is in need of a meal is welcome. They have served adults, children, veterans, seniors, even those just walking around town needing a meal. Gee Villano is one of the volunteers; she serves as corresponding secretary and is in charge of fundraising with Peggy Behnke. She explained Harvest House is run strictly on donations of food and monetary gifts. “We get grants from Norwescap, but it takes at least $21,000 a year to run this place,” said Villano. There are drop-off points for donations of food — Glenwood and McAfee Post offices, Napa Auto parts in Pine Island, N.Y., and Nearly New Consignments in McAfee. Monetary donations can be mailed to PO Box 374 in Glenwood. Besides these, Villano and Behnke sell Gertrude Hawk chocolate bars in a variety of locations, organize bake sales, book sales and a turkey dinner to help raise funds. Right now is an important time for donations to Harvest House as they are taking part in the Feinstein Challenge. Each year Alan Shawn Feinstein donates $1 million in matching funds to soup kitchens across the county. The challenge is for the months of March and April, so whatever donations Harvest House can raise in those two months, will be doubled by the Feinstein grant. “The outpouring of the community has been very good. We want everyone to know it’s not just the holiday time, but the need is all year long. You don’t have to give a lot, even $5 helps. Volunteers don’t need to have any cooking skills, and can commit to either one day a week or as needed. In the giving, you receive,” said Villano. For more information about Harvest House, call the hotline at 973-764-8500. For the vendor event, call Nearly New Consignments at 973-209-4290.