By Christina Leslie | Staff Writer

Proving the adage that “many hands make light work,” representatives from six Monmouth County parish communities joined forces to create about 775 holiday food baskets to aid Asbury Park’s poor this Thanksgiving. Mother of Mercy Parish’s St. Peter Claver Center opened its doors Nov. 22 to 24 to supply needy parishioners and others with turkeys and all the traditional fixings necessary to fill a dinner plate on the day Americans stop to give thanks for their God-given bounty.

Preparations for the three-day distribution in Asbury Park began in early November in Mother of Mercy and the five other participating parish communities of St. Leo the Great, Lincroft; St. Mark, Sea Girt; St. Mary, Colts Neck; St. Catharine, Holmdel, and Nativity, Fair Haven. Contributions of turkeys and dressing, vegetables, potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, bread, fresh fruit and desserts were amassed by scores of volunteers at each parish and transported by car and truck to the Springwood Avenue building for distribution to area needy.

“It was awesome,” exclaimed Brenda Terrell, chairperson of the social concerns ministry in Mother of Mercy Parish about the project which has been taking place in Asbury Park for more than two decades. She rejoiced at the bounty collected, yet despite the largesse, supplies ran low on the last day of distribution.

“The crowds grew as the weekend progressed,” Terrell said, “but we had it organized like when you go to vote, with tables labeled (by surnames) from A to D, E to G and so on. On Monday, we served over 500 people and we ran out. I told our volunteers we needed more, and we scooted out to WalMart and bought 71 more turkeys. There is a great need,” she admitted, “and there were more hungry people than we could get to.”

Distributing the 775 baskets were representatives from multiple Mother of Mercy ministries and others seeking to shed a little cheer. “There were many hands helping us, lots of volunteers,” Terrell remembered. “The [Asbury Park] food bank sent over food, the charter school in town had their children helping, college kids who came back volunteered and some clients who we help wanted to give back. We also had Creole and Spanish speakers help the clients who spoke those languages.”

Outside secular agencies and individuals also pitched in to make the holiday brighter. “The Covenant House people who are in the [St. Peter Claver] center sent their volunteers and gave us 150 tote bags for food, and Holmdel Middle School sent over 40 turkeys,” Terrell reported.

Terrell, who also serves as St. Vincent de Paul president for the parish, downplayed her efforts and was matter-of-fact as she explained her reasons behind her participation in the major undertaking. “It is my mission and my passion to help those who can’t speak for themselves,” she said emphatically. “Someone along the way helped me while I was growing up; I have no problems giving back.”