Gather & Give holiday event scheduled for Saturday
Courtesy Kimberly Price
Chris and Kimberly Price talk with volunteers at the Washington City Mission during Gather & Give 2018.
Chris Price serves a Thanksgiving meal to a guest of Gather & Give in 2018.
Gather & Give volunteer Rebecca DeMase helps a guest choose from a selection of new and gently used coats in 2018.
This year’s Gather & Give holiday event will look different, but the good intentions remain the same.
Gather & Give is an annual event that serves Washington County and surrounding communities with a home-style Thanksgiving meal and winter coat distribution for people in need. It will be held at noon Saturday at Bella Serra on Morganza Road, Canonsburg.
The meal and coat distribution traditionally has been held indoors, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gather & Give will provide fresh, individually packaged meals to-go, and new and gently used coats will be distributed outside.
The annual event is a collaboration of community partnerships, charitable contributions, and volunteers.
The meal is prepared with the help of dozens of volunteers who cook traditional Thanksgiving turkeys for the annual event. Fixings, including mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, and stuffing, will be cooked by other volunteers on site.
“2020 has presented numerous challenges for our community and the organizations that serve people in need,” said Kimberly Price, who founded the event with her husband, Chris, in 2018. “It is important to us that we can reach people in need while ensuring that we are doing it safely.”
New and gently used coat collections were held at local businesses, including The Health Club at Southpointe, Iron Factory Gym in Washington, Push 40 Fitness in Bridgeville, Quantum Spirits in Carnegie, David Alan Clothing Studio in Mt. Washington, and Bridge Insurance Group in Canonsburg. All sizes are accepted.
For the second year, printer BeeGraphix hosted a digital coat drive that enabled people to contribute by donating new, water-resistant winter coats in hard-to-find sizes. BeeGraphix is matching each donation with one of equal value.
All recipients must be present Saturday to receive a meal and/or coat. Meal distribution will be drive-up. Walk-ups also are welcome.
Distribution of dinners and coats will use the same line, which will enable guests to wait in their cars until distribution time. While in line, guests will leave their car to select a coat. Face masks are required. Accommodations will be made for those with disabilities.
Registration is encouraged, but is not required. To register, visit https://eventbrite.com/e/gather-give-2020-free-thanksgiving-meal-and-winter-coat-distribution-tickets-125417989583.
Gather & Give is a project of the Chris & Kimberly Price Foundation, a nonprofit that aims to promote charity and goodwill in the community. To learn more, visit www.chrisandkimberlypricefdn.org.