The family of Kevin and Starr Griffin experienced the joy of Christmas giving first-hand on Friday.
They were among the dozens of volunteers who delivered 700 Tribune-Star Christmas Baskets — and an additional 100 baskets provided by B&B Foods — to individuals in need on Friday, Christmas Eve.
“It’s really good to serve the community. We’ll definitely do it again,” Kevin Griffin said of the effort.
It was the Griffin family’s first time participating in the annual holiday food basket distribution. Their children Zion, Zayla, Todd and Jazmin helped carry the food boxes and the milk.
“It warms our hearts to make them happy,” Kevin said after visiting several residents of the Dreiser Square neighborhood.
Dozens of vehicles lined up early Friday outside the Tribune-Star loading dock at The Meadows to receive the baskets and lists of addresses for delivery.
By 9 a.m., most of the food had been delivered.
Monica Haas and her beagle, Sparky, were among residents accepting the boxes of food and gallons of milk.
“It means a lot. It really does help a lot,” Haas said. “I help my kids with it too.”
Constance Bell was like many recipients who said it was her first time receiving the food basket.
“I means the world to me. I’m blessed,” Bell said.
Diane Stanford tearfully accepted the box delivered by the Griffin family.
“I lost my husband two years ago,” she said, “and I’ve never done this before. I’ve never asked for help before, but it’s just me now.”
Vincent Martin graciously welcomed a delivery from volunteer Brandon Halleck and others who carried in the food.
“I’ve been on a budget for a number of years. I was laid off eight years ago, and five years ago had heart surgery, and then cataract surgery, so this really helps,” Martin said.
The holiday food basket distributions began in 1928, 36 years after the founding of the Terre Haute Tribune and 25 years after the Terre Haute Star debuted
The combined staffs of the newspapers engineered the Christmas Basket effort through the Great Depression; World War II; wars in Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East; and the Great Recession.
The tradition has continued through the coronavirus pandemic as well, with some modifications to the process for safety. Continuing the project through the pandemic continues a history of resilience.
Halleck and a group from the Terre Haute South Rotary met at Dreiser Square to distribute the food baskets among club member volunteers who then delivered them.
Starr Griffin, who joined Rotary earlier this year, encouraged her family to delve into the delivery.
“It’s a good thing for the community,” she said. “I’ve worked in non-profits for 15 years or more, and I wanted to make sure my children experience what it’s like to help people. I want to make sure they help others when they get older.”
Fifteen-year-old Todd Jackson said he was glad to help his family.
“People are a lot nicer than I thought they’d be,” he said of the people he met at Dreiser Square.
Sisters Jazmin and Zayla Jackson agreed they will be helping again.
“It made me feel good,” Jazmin said.
Partners in the food distribution project include The Meadows, Baesler’s Market, B&B Foods and Terre Haute North Vigo High School ROTC. Baesler’s provided food for the baskets at cost, while B&B provided additional ham and bread, and refrigerated trucks.
The ROTC students helped filled the boxes on Thursday, and helped load baskets into vehicles for distribution on Friday.
Contributions to help with the annual effort can be made year-round. Online donations can be made at wvcf.org/tribstarchristmasbasket. The Wabash Valley Community Foundation administers the donated funds; contributions are tax deductible.
Also, contributions can be sent directly to the Tribune-Star, attention Christmas Basket Fund, P.O. Box 149, Terre Haute, IN 47808. Cash or check donations can be dropped off at the newspaper office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Lisa Trigg can be reached at 812-231-4254 or at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at TribStarLisa.
