Rochesterians unite to help, feed others during holiday season

Georgie Silvarole | Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Show Caption Hide Caption Webster Schroeder student creates food pantry at school Webster Schroeder senior Taylor Coonelly arranges items in a food pantry that she created with school psychologist Joe Jackson in the school.

A warm place to rest. A home-cooked meal. A room full of friendly faces.

It's all anybody wants at Thanksgiving, and for Aaron Jackson, Antioch Baptist Church has long been the place where he can find that sense of comfort and an impromptu family when the holiday season rolls around.

"They've been serving the community forever," Jackson said. "They're doing what God wants us to do — feed his people, take care of them — and that's what they do."

Antioch welcomed about 350 people on Nov. 15 during its annual Thanksgiving dinner. Over the last 21 years, the church has fed more than 153,000 people and earned a reputation for serving up an excellent Thanksgiving dinner.

People packed in and sat at long banquet tables waiting patiently to be served Antioch's hearty meal complete with turkey, stuffing, collard greens, homemade macaroni and cheese and even a slice of cake for dessert.

Every seat at every table in the room was occupied, and a line of people waiting their turn stretched out the door and down the hall. The table Jackson sat at was practically squished into a corner, though no one really seemed to mind and the room buzzed with cheerful conversations.

"A lot of these people may not have a Thanksgiving," Jackson said. "A lot of them may not have a family unit. Here, you get a chance to sit down and talk. It's a way of bringing people together."

Creating a culture of compassion

Students at Victor High School have been hearing the motto "culture wins" for years.

Through athletic programs, administrators and coaches set the bar high for students. They're expected to be winners both on and off the field, and that's a message many students take to heart.

CJ Williams, a senior and a captain of Victor's varsity football team, helped collect canned goods for the Victor/Farmington Food Cupboard during the season and dropped them off with a few of his teammates earlier this month.

Right after school let out, he and three others headed over to the food cupboard and carried in several boxes overflowing with donations that they had collected from a tailgate.

In the short amount of time the four were at the food cupboard to drop off their donation, Beth Thomas, the food cupboard's secretary, had received a call for an emergency donation. Someone had called to say they were completely out of food and physically unable to drive themselves to a grocery store.

When Thomas asked them if they'd make the time to drop off food for him, they all responded with a "Yes, of course" almost instantly. As they were headed out the door, Williams said he didn't mind making the time to help someone else out in his hometown.

"With our program, as you go up through modified, it's expected of you that you do things right in the classroom, in the community and on the field," Williams said. "We’re all blessed to have nice homes and you get to play sports and stuff, but not everybody’s as blessed as us with those opportunities. It's really nice to help them out and to give back to the community."

Help comes from the heart

Taylor Coonelly understands that kids go through a lot. When her parents got divorced, that conflict affected her in ways that people might not have known or been able to see.

Because of her own experiences, Coonelly, a senior at Webster Schroeder High School, has been helping school psychologist Joe Jackson, with a special project — an in-house food pantry.

She's always been a volunteer, she said, but has really taken the food cupboard to heart knowing there's other students who might have issues at home and need a little extra help.

"It was never really something that I could go to a person and be like, 'Hey I need help, or hey, I need this support,'" Coonelly said. "So I kind of want to make that support system."

Over the last several months, Coonelly, Jackson and a few others at Schroeder have been stocking, quite literally, a food cupboard for students in need.

Nestled in a room just around the corner from the cafeteria is a nondescript pantry loaded with snacks like juice boxes, Ramen noodles and chips, as well as more traditional items like canned goods, pasta and condiments. Body wash, deodorant, feminine hygiene products and toothbrushes are tucked in the pantry as well.

Students can get a key to the pantry from someone in the office and are able to discreetly pick up anything they need.

Once Coonelly started spreading the word about the pantry, she felt overwhelmed by the positive feedback. Her friends and peers seemed excited, but also shocked that she had been able to help create something within the school.

"It’s a surprise how many people want to help but don’t know how," Coonelly said. "People don’t know how to say, 'I want to do this; I want to help someone' and actually go through with it."

Coonelly is part of the club that does the morning announcements, and has made sure that the food pantry is mentioned every day during the program. She wants everyone in her school to know that it's there, it's available to them and that no one's going to judge those who need it.

“There’s such a stigma around kids for being different or doing something different or needing extra help,” Coonelly said. “But there really isn’t any need for it. You kind of just have to be able to step outside of that and be like, ‘You know what? I’m ready to help.’”

Here's how you can help

Every donation counts, no matter how big or small. Several area food pantries and the items they are in need of are listed below. A complete list can be found at roccitylibrary.org/services/food-programs or by calling (585) 428-8168.

Antioch Baptist Church, 144 Baden St., Rochester.

Needs canned goods, fresh produce and turkeys for Christmas dinners.

Barakah Muslim Charity, 584 Jefferson Ave., Rochester.

Needs volunteers to help distribute food, though food and monetary donations are always welcome.

Brighton Food Cupboard, call (585) 271-5355 for an appointment.

Needs canned fruit, cereal and healthy snacks. Also accepting gently used winter hats, coats and gloves.

Brockport Ecumenical Emergency Food Shelf, 14 State St., Brockport.

Needs canned tuna, canned chicken, soup, and pasta.

Church of Love Food Pantry, 700 Exchange St., Rochester.

Needs canned vegetables and fruits, hearty soups, pasta and cereal.

Dimitri House, 102 N. Union St., Rochester.

Needs fruit, vegetables, pasta and sauce, canned tuna, peanut butter, jelly and cereal. Also in need of hygiene products such as shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste and razors.

East Rochester Community Resource Center, 333 E. Chestnut St., East Rochester. The center collects food donations, as well as gently used clothing and furniture.

Food Relief Coalition of Caledonia-Mumford, 957 George St., Mumford.

Needs canned goods and fresh vegetables.

Greece Ecumenical Food Shelf Inc., 500 Maiden Lane, Greece.

Needs tuna, canned fruits and vegetables, baked beans, canned pasta and chili.

Hilton-Parma Emergency Food Shelf, 59 Henry St., Hilton.

Friends in Service Here of Honeoye Falls/Lima, 35 Monroe St., Honeoye Falls.

Irondequoit Community Cupboard, 4275 Culver Road, Irondequoit.

Needs soup, macaroni and cheese, canned meals, canned tuna and chicken, spaghetti sauce and healthy snacks. Also in need of pet food, toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner and laundry detergent.

Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf, 1618 Jackson Road, Penfield.

Needs frozen turkeys for Christmas meal distribution, along with broth, hearty canned soups, Jell-O and pudding. Also needs dish soap and laundry detergent.

Perinton Food Shelf, call (585) 425-7410 for an appointment.

Needs cereal, oatmeal, bottled juice and tea, pudding cups, cookies, fruit cups, crackers, canned tuna, cake and brownie mix, frosting, stuffing, gravy, salad dressing, olive oil and canned soups. Also needs toiletries like shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap and deodorant.

Pittsford Food Cupboard, 1 Grove St., Pittsford.

Needs pasta and pasta sauce, rice, canned tomatoes, cereal, oatmeal, juice, jelly, canned fruits, canned meats, hearty canned soups and canned ravioli, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Also needs products like dish soap, laundry detergent, toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, razors, lotion, shampoo and conditioner.

Rush-Henrietta Area Food Terminal, call (585) 453-2370 for an appointment.

Southeast Bible Baptist Food Pantry, 1850 Fairport-Nine Mile Point Road, Penfield.

Needs kid-friendly cereal, canned goods, pasta, pasta sauce and toiletries like soap, razors and laundry detergent.

Victor/Farmington Food Cupboard, 1246 Commercial Drive, Building B, Farmington.

Needs canned goods with pull tabs, baby food, fresh produce, condiments. Also needs paper towels, toilet paper, toothpaste and toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products and diapers.

Webster Schroeder Food Pantry, 875 Ridge Road, Webster.

Needs easy and healthy snacks, as well as toiletries and personal hygiene items.

GSILVAROLE@Gannett.com