The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

Today is Thanksgiving and it’s a good time for this story. Everyone got a turkey! Tuesday the Gazette published a story stating that the Peru JCEO food shelf needed additional turkeys and several readers responded. Combined with the turkeys received from the Plattsburgh JCEO all of Peru’s needs were met and a few turkeys were put in the freezer for the Christmas season.

Pat Holmes has been the JCEO Peru Outreach Coordinator for only a few weeks and he already says, “This an amazing community. I’m floored how generous people are here. Some people drop off food all the time.” The community’s generosity this holiday season was not hard to see. The foodshelf’s small storage room was completely filled and at least ten tables outside Holmes’ office were piled high with food. Holmes said Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of Troop 249 along with the fifth and sixth graders and high school students at Peru Central have brought in huge amounts of food. The Peru Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary donated ten turkeys, the Peru Community Church donated fifteen food baskets and members of St. Augustine’s Church donated various items. Holmes said one Peru resident donates fifteen turkeys to every JCEO foodshelf.

Peru resident Mary Gebo accompanied by her five-year-old son Kane and six year old daughter Jade were one of the people receiving a turkey and the trimmings when the Gazette visited the foodshelf. Gebo said that she works fifteen hours week as a lunch monitor at Peru Central and survives on that income along with food stamps and Medicaid. Before she left, Gebo asked Holmes to be sure to place her name on the list for a Christmas Bureau dinner.

Pat Holmes has quickly learned that his coterie of volunteers is very important to his operation. They help him sort the donated items and put them on the shelves by type. Paperwork also keeps Holmes busy. Families receiving food complete a simple form and can receive food up to eight times a year. They usually receive cereal, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti sauce, soup, potatoes and various other vegetables. Holmes said, “Many people are hurting. Some only have $700 to $800 a month in income.”

As JCEO Outreach Coordinator Holmes also accepts applications for the Heating Assistance Program (HEAP); the Rural Transportation Program (RTP), the Christmas Bureau and the Plattsburgh Food Coop food purchase program.

The JCEO Outreach Center is located in the basement of the Peru Town Hall. It is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The phone number is 643-8455.