You can help make this Thanksgiving special for a needy family in your town through the third annual Adopt-A-Family program being promoted by the Somerset County Board of Freeholders and mayors in the county’s 21 municipalities.

“We often hear that people want to help others within their own community,” said Freeholder Director Patricia Walsh.  “This is a perfect way for residents to earmark donations to help feed needy families in their own towns.”

The estimated cost of a Thanksgiving meal is $40.  Anyone wishing to donate may send a check to any of the following local food banks:

• Food Bank Network of Somerset County, P.O. Box 149, Bound Brook, NJ 08805
• Franklin Township Food Bank, P.O. Box 333, Somerset, NJ 08875-0333
• Samaritan Homeless Interim Program Inc. (SHIP), 87 E. High St., Somerville, NJ 08876

On the memo line of your check, write Adopt-A-Family and the name of the town where you wish your donation to go.  If $40 is difficult for you, any amount will be gratefully accepted.  For more information, call the Food Bank Network at (732) 560-1813, the Franklin Township Food Bank at (732) 246-0009 or SHIP at (908) 393-9545.

            At the Mayors’ Roundtable she hosted recently, Freeholder Walsh asked the municipal officials to support and promote the Adopt-A-Family program through personal appeals, on their towns’ websites and through any other means available.  You can go to http://bit.ly/AdoptAFamily2012 to print the donation form.

The Adopt-A-Family program was created by Ray Walsh of Manville (no relation to Freeholder Walsh).  “Our local food banks have seen a tremendous increase in the number of people seeking help during the past few years due to the recession,” Mr. Walsh said.  “The goal of the Adopt-A-Family program is to make Somerset County the first in New Jersey to feed all of its needy residents.”