EASING PRESSURE
Baskets given out to families in need
More than 170 Easter baskets were given away to families in need on Wednesday in Pontiac.
The effort is the latest way the Catholic Community Response Team has sought to help families in the city, particularly as the second year under the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pressure families.
“I have my own six kids, two grandbabies, and I take kids off the street that’s homeless,” said one woman who picked up baskets. “Anything helps. I do not get help from anywhere else. I do appreciate their help.”
Catholic churches and other organizations, such as Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, contributed to the CCRT, which gave away the baskets outdoors to alleviate the possible spread of coronavirus. A dozen volunteers helped hand out the holiday treats and toys.
The baskets were designed to accommodate young children as well as older children and teenagers.
“The community really helped us out a lot,” said Laura Pandora, who handles social media for the CCRT. “People just heard about us on Facebook — they’re so generous.”
The CCRT had started in 2004, formed as ten Catholic parishes looked for a way to work together to help families in Pontiac.
The organization, now led by executive director Barbara Williams, helps families facing eviction stay in their homes, provides furniture for families, and assists people released from incarceration gain a foothold in the community.
“We want to keep families in homes, keep kids off the floor,” Pongori said.
And the efforts have been appreciated.
“Anytime I am in need of help, they always come through,” the mother said.