The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Six area families that were “adopted” by a township church will be sure to have a hearty Thanksgiving dinner this year.
That’s because the families – two each in the township, South Bound Brook and Somerville – received holiday baskets complete with turkey and all of the fixings.
Members of True-2-Life Ministries on Victor Street “adopted” the families for Thanksgiving, said the church’s pastor, Thomas Lewis.
The church members donated dry goods, and the Police Benevolent Association chapters in each of the three towns donated turkeys, he said.
“They are Thanksgiving dinners for those who could not do it for themselves,” he said.
FTPD Det. Ken Daly, president of the township’s PBA Local 154, said his group likes to help out the community whenever it can.
“Any opportunity we have to give back to the community and show them our appreciation for their support, we like to jump on board,” he said. “We didn’t just stop here in Franklin, I got the South Bound Brook PBA involved and the Somerville PBA involved.”
Daly said that representing the South Bound Brook PBA was State Delegate Kevin Klink, and representing Somerville PBA was State Delegate Vito Spadea.
FTPD Lt. Gregory Borlan said this effort is another example of the police department collaborating with a township organization to help the community.
One of the township residents who received a dinner basket was Mattie Todd.
Todd said receiving the gift was “wonderful.”
“It feels great that somebody can think of us,” she said.
Lewis said he developed the “Adopt a Family for Thanksgiving” program “because plain and simple, I’m tired of our churches just sitting in our communities and not doing anything in our communities.”
“We can give out Thanksgiving baskets and have the people come to the church to get them, but from what I believe and what I read, Jesus didn’t wait for the people to come to him, he went to the people,” Lewis said. “We have to get back to that, to reaching our community. If you want to make a difference in your community, you first have to show the community that you care for it.”
