Easter meal donations make the difference for holiday in South Jersey

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (WPVI) -- For the 16th year, volunteers sacrificed their time on a sacred holiday to feed the Gloucester County community and beyond. It was the idea of Kathy MeGee, who is described as a beacon of light by those who knew her.

"Kathy unfortunately died 10 years ago," said Paul Dilks, who now coordinates the Kathy MeGee Memorial Holiday Meals Program. "When she died, there was no way this program was going to die with her. I was never ever going to let that happen."

Now, Dilks has spent a decade keeping the mission alive by rallying local organizations, small businesses, and families to craft hundreds of meal boxes. The action happens only three days per year: Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

This Easter, the total reached just over 350 meals.

After an assembly line packages the food, volunteer drivers set out on their routes in Washington Township and neighboring communities. Dilks personally delivered dozens of meals to Tall Oaks Boarding Home in Sicklerville.

There, he met Alejandra Morales.

"It's just a wonderful experience to be treated this way," said Morales. "There's a bunch of us, 16 of us and we all have a good meal to share with amongst each other from our friends here that brought it to us."

Among the many list of helping hands include Liscio's Bakery, Aversa's Bakery, Bottino's ShopRite, Ace Hardware, Sam's Club, Auletto Caterers, CB Kids, the Knights of Columbus, Washington Township Rotary, Washington Township Senior Center, and Washington Township Ambulance and Rescue.

To learn more about the Kathy MeGee Holiday Meals Program, visit their Facebook page.

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