Dear Port Washington Community,
As the director of Our Lady of Fatima Parish Outreach, I have been fortunate to come to know so many of you during my 40 years of service in Port Washington. Whether on the giving or receiving side, I have met so many wonderful people who love our community and are dedicated to making Port an incredible place to live for all of our residents.
During this unbelievably difficult time, with all of the dangers and hardships that the pandemic has put before us, Port’s dedication to helping those in need has been unwavering and so heartwarming. As our client numbers have greatly increased, Port residents are continuously working hard to fight hunger in our community. Since the beginning of the pandemic, our food pantry has been generously stocked with food and we have received many monetary donations from individual residents, civic groups and organizations. Children throughout the community have even joined in the spirit of giving through various endeavors to raise money and by baking and donating delectable goodies for our families.
Our Christmas Adopt a Family program ran this year, only very differently, as we distributed gift cards rather than gifts. I was initially concerned that with our large number of clients we wouldn’t be able to provide for everyone. My fear was quickly put to rest as the donations started to come in; the love from our community was felt by the sheer number of people who donated gift cards and adopted families. Everyone was so eager to brighten the holiday of those in need in our community. It was truly amazing that more than 400 people were helped and therefore were able to have presents under the Christmas tree this year.
The generosity of Port residents is extraordinary and the abundance of donations that we have received and continue to receive demonstrates your caring nature. It is so wonderful to be part of such a special place where the tenet of neighbors helping neighbors is genuinely embraced. I want to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported and continues to support OLF Outreach during these difficult times. So many of you dropped off donations anonymously or without all of your information, that although we’d love to thank you individually, we are unable. All of these donations have greatly helped with our mission to help those who are in need. As Mother Teresa said, “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
—Sister Kathy Somerville, O.P., L.M.S.W.
Director, Our Lady of Fatima Parish Outreach Port Washington
