Caring for Friends

Who are the friends?             What do they need?                Why do we do it?

At the beginning of each month of the year, on the first Wednesday, our church kitchen is buzzing with activity by 8:30 am.  There’s a wonderful clang of pots and their lids and the rattle of foil and heavy paper as the group gathers for their monthly stint.  The air is full of the aroma of meatloaf and stews and noodles and the vegetables which threaten to crowd the cakes and cookies.

Established in 1974, CFF serves a five-county Greater Philadelphia area of clients, primarily frail and elderly with free home-cooked meals and other services.  The clients are needy shut-ins, many of whom are living alone.  After the meals are carefully packed, they are initially frozen, and are then transported to a central distribution point.  All of us who gather to pack the meals come lugging our own contributions, and we still need the contributions of other folks who don’t have the time to spend the morning, but who understand the need. With this help, we have reached amazing goals, actually, on occasion, over 250 meals.

What can you bring?  The food must be cooked and ready to eat.  Our budget allows us to buy some ground beef and a few turkey breasts, which you can find in the freezer during the week before we meet each month.  Of course, we rely on many folks who want to bring their own contributions of prepared meat, fruits, and vegetables, even tuna casserole.  You can deposit them in the refrigerator a day or two before we meet.  We are also glad to receive some canned goods to augment or complete our preparations.  Beets, corn, tomato sauce, sweet potatoes, kidney and lima beans can be useful.  We have found the canned green beans to be unsatisfactory.

If you are able to help or have any questions, you can call any of the following.

Ginny Francksen                  215-860-5147

We’ll be very happy to hear from you!

(Caring for Friends was formerly known as Aid for Friends.)