Ford Motor Company to Donate $15,000 to Catholic Charities Holiday Meal Program

Donations to hungry, homeless needed at Thanksgiving

CLEVELAND, Nov. 17 -- Ford Motor Company is once again joining with Catholic Charities to make sure that no one misses the traditional turkey and dressing on Thanksgiving Day.

Northeast Ohio Ford representatives will donate $15,000 to the Catholic Charities Holiday Meal Program as part of the annual Catholic Charities Turkey Carve-Off at noon on Monday, Nov. 21, 2005 at St. Augustine Church, 2486 West 14th Street. Over the past nine years, Ford has locally contributed nearly $175,000 to help provide meals for the needy during the holiday season.

"Ford Motor Company is thrilled to be able to provide a warm holiday meal as part of the Catholic Charities Holiday Meal Program," says Dominic Coletta, Chairman of Ford's Cleveland Community Relations Committee. "It is by gifts such as these that we are able to give back to the communities in which we do business and act as a good corporate citizen."

Bishop Anthony M. Pilla and Ford representatives will hone their carving skills on the turkeys, which are part of the fare for the free Holiday Meal Program. Catholic Charities expects to serve more than 28,000 free meals this Holiday Season -- 10,500 at Thanksgiving, 10,000 at Christmas and 7,500 next Easter. That makes for a lot of carving -- the average turkey feeds six to eight. The meals will be served at 10 locations throughout Greater Cleveland and Lorain from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., except where noted on the attached list.

"There are a lot of people who need our help during this holiday season," explained J. Thomas Mullen, who heads Catholic Charities. "A turkey dinner with all of the trimmings can really brighten up the holidays. Because of the generosity of our donors, Catholic Charities can provide basic assistance, such as food and shelter, throughout the year."

Catholic Charities provides a network of food and shelter assistance in collaboration with Catholic parishes, other churches and community organizations in addition to its own emergency services. It serves Ashland, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Summit, and Wayne counties. St. Augustine is a member of this network and a major provider of emergency food in Cuyahoga County. It coordinates a special effort during the holiday seasons of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. The object is to feed those in need, while providing the opportunity for interaction with others.

"Many people come out for the holiday meals to have the chance to be with other people for company and conversation," Mullen added.

Catholic Charities serves people of all faiths in every one of the 233 parishes in the Diocese of Cleveland. Catholic Charities operates a network of 173 health and human services programs that reaches more than 374,000 people each year in Northeast Ohio. They are your neighbors and friends; Help Us Help Your Neighbors in Need.

Donations may be mailed to Catholic Charities, P.O. Box 89473, Cleveland, Ohio 44101 or made online at http://www.clevelandcatholiccharities.org/.

Those who need to arrange home delivery of holiday meals or need transportation to serving sites should call (216) 781-5880.

Attached is a list of walk-in sites for free holiday meals. Additional meals are being provided to shut-ins at other locations which are not listed.

                 CATHOLIC CHARITIES HOLIDAY MEAL PROGRAM
              Participating Walk-in Sites in Northeast Ohio
               Thanksgiving and Christmas 2005, Easter 2006

  Tremont
       St. Augustine Mylott Hall (church) -- Site of the Turkey Carving
       Event & Walsh Hall (school)
       2486 W. 14th Street

       Zion United Church of Christ
       2717 W. 14th Street
       serving 1-3 p.m.

       OLA/St. Joseph Center
       2346 W. 14th Street (at Kenilworth)
       serving breakfast

  Cleveland East (breakfast)
       King-Kennedy Estates  -- North Building
       2501 E. 59th (at Woodland)

       St. Martin De Porres Family Center
       1264 E. 123rd Street (at Superior)

       St. Catherine Church
       9412 Heath Avenue (near 93rd and Union)

       Rockhill Ministries
       11739 Kinsman Rd. (at East 118th)

  Downtown Cleveland
       Trinity Cathedral
       2230 Euclid Ave.

  Cleveland West
       St. Andrew Kim
       Korean Catholic Church
       2310 W. 14th Street

  Lorain
       Catholic Charities Family Center
       203 8th St. (at Broadway)