Help the Children
In keeping with an annual tradition, Hatfield Quality Meats was once again involved in a Christmas gift-giving program called “Help the Children”. This year, Hatfield “adopted” children in need in the Bay St. Lois area of Mississippi. Hurricane Katrina took all of these children’s earthly possessions, including their homes. The majority of these families are living in trailers provided by FEMA, and are doing their best to rebuild their lives, which have been torn apart.
Hatfield Quality Meats employees, who are known for their generosity, purchased gifts for the all the children at Bay Catholic Elementary School. In addition, the Young Adult Sunday School Class at Franconia Mennonite Church, the teachers and students from Salford Child Care, and an organization called Troy’s Toys from Heaven from Reedsville, Pa. were also involved in donating gifts that were taken down by Hatfield. Hatfield Quality Meats donated the tractor-trailer, two drivers and the fuel to haul the 2,000 gifts down South to Mississippi.
The gifts were delivered on Saturday, December 17, to the delight of many children and their families. Janet Buras, principal of Bay Catholic elementary, summed it up by saying “Words could never express my gratitude to you and your community for looking after my students in this difficult time.” The children, most of whom otherwise would not have received any gifts, will undoubtedly remember this Christmas for the rest of their lives.