Monday, November 3, 2014

Food Elves Press Release

2013 Food Elves captains Haley Frank and Cameron Piana
with Erin Lynch, Food Pantry Executive Director (center) 

Franklin Food Elves Launch ’12 Days of Donating’ Campaign

The Franklin Food Elves and the Downtown Partnership will launch the “12 Days of Donating” food drive to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry at the annual Holiday Stroll on Thursday, December 4, at the 4 p.m. tree-lighting ceremony.

The charitable community service group’s goal each year is to collect 1,200 pounds of food and $1,200 in 12 days to benefit the Franklin Food Pantry. The campaign will run from December 1 through December 12. Along with a food bin set up at the tree ceremony on the Dean College campus, the Elves are placing red bins at local business locations where people can drop off non-perishable food items.

If the Food Elves reach their goal and collect 1,200 pounds of food, participating businesses pledge an additional $1,200 in matching funds. Franklin Food Elves co-founders Melissa and Cameron Piana and the FDP hope that the community will support the Food Pantry by helping them reach this goal.

Over the past 4 years the organization has surpassed their original 1,200-pound goal, and last year 75 elves, together with Partnership businesses, collected more than three tons of food donations to support the Franklin Food Pantry. The organization hopes to increase business participation this year again.

If you are interested in participating in the Food Elves’ campaign as a business or as a volunteer, please contact the Partnership at downtown.Franklin@yahoo.com. Volunteers can contact the Food Elves directly at Franklinfoodelves@yahoo.com.  For more information about the Franklin Food Pantry and what items are needed, please go to their website, www.franklinfoodpantry.org/.