Stone Soup, Too 4th Annual Luncheon to support Fulton Food Pantries

February 21st, 2012

Fulton, NY ? With the need for food subsidy increasing and food pantries throughout Oswego County being hard pressed to meet the growing demand, the United Way of Greater Oswego County is doing its part to raise awareness of the food shortage in Oswego County and encourage the community to help fill the shelves of our area food pantries. On Tuesday, March 20th the United Way of Greater Oswego County will hold their fourth annual ?Stone Soup Too? Luncheon in Fulton.

Hosted by Holy Trinity Parish, 309 Buffalo Street in Fulton, the United Way?s ?Stone Soup? Too Luncheon will draw upon the agency?s theme of ?Live United? as the United Way invites community members to come together to break bread, warm their hearts, gather with friends, and enjoy a delicious lunch of ?Stone Soup while helping to support Oswego County?s food pantries that are struggling to meet the increasing demand for their services.

?This is our 4th year for our Stone Soup Too luncheon,? said Lois Luber, Resource Development Director for the United Way of Greater Oswego County. ?It is the effort of our volunteers and committee members, and most importantly the strong support we receive from the community who return year after year to enjoy great food and fellowship that makes our Stone Soup Too luncheon such a success.?

To date a number of caring local businesses have come forward to donate the food and beverages necessary for the Stone Soup Luncheon. Mimi?s, Blue Moon Grill, The Foursome Dinner, and Tavern on the Lock will be providing our soups; Dunkin? Donuts is donating ?Boxes of Joe?; C?s Farms will be providing the salads; Red Baron will provide rolls; Kathy?s Cakes and Joe?s Corner Market are donating cookies; and cake will be provided by Springside at Seneca Hill. Luber added that there would be table arrangements featuring canned soups, courtesy of Struppler?s Shurfine Market, that will be donated to the food pantries following the luncheon and that the Fulton Lions Club has donated $500 for the purchase of food for our local food pantries.

The United Way?s ?Stone Soup Too? Luncheon is open to the public and will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 20th at Holy Trinity Parish, 309 Buffalo Street in Fulton. The United Way is accepting donations of $5 per person. All proceeds from the luncheon will be used to support area food pantries. Attendees are also encouraged to please bring a donation of non-perishable food as the United Way will be collecting donations for area food pantries including the Fulton and Oswego Salvation Army, Catholic Charities of Oswego County, Human Concerns, and the Oswego County Mental Health Association.

?Our food pantries are really feeling a strain this year and it is becoming especially challenging for them as they try to meet the demand for food subsidy throughout Oswego County,? added Luber. ?The food collected, and the money raised at our ?Stone Soup Too? Luncheon will be greatly appreciated.?

Those unable to attend the luncheon but would like to donate food items may contact Helen Hoefer, director of Catholic Charities of Oswego County?s Emergency Services program at 315-598-3980 for information on where to drop off non-perishable food donations throughout Oswego County.

For more information contact your United Way office at 315-593-1900.

Cut line for photo: United Way?s ?Stone Soup Too? Luncheon returns to Fulton. Committee members for the United Way of Greater Oswego County?s Fourth Annual ?Stone Soup Too? Luncheon in Fulton meet at the Blue Moon Grill to finalize details for the event. Scheduled for Tuesday, March 20th the luncheon will at held at 11:30 am at Holy Trinity Parish, 309 Buffalo Street in Fulton and serves as a fundraiser for food pantries throughout Oswego County. Standing from left are: Catherine Trowbridge, City of Fulton; and Angela Blanchard of the Walmart Super Center in Granby. Seated from left are: Helen Hoefer, Catholic Charities of Oswego County; Steve Chirello, Chirello Advertising; Karen Hubel, Blue Moon Grill; Jan Rebeor, Community Volunteer; George Timmins, Catholic Charities of Oswego County; and Lori Lyon, Walmart Super Center in Granby. Absent from the photo are committee members, Gina Camardello, Key Bank Fulton; Jo-Lynn Phillips and Stephanie Langdon, OCO; Sue Witmer, Cayuga Community College Fulton; and Michele Sherman, Walmart Super Center in Granby.