This year’s dangerously low food reserves have forced The White Doves Holiday Project to send out desperate pleas for help.

The White Doves Holiday Project, an initiative of Martin Volunteers, a program of United Way of Martin County, ran the risk of failing to deliver turkeys and hams this holiday season until Attorney Lauri J. Goldstein, Dr. Heldo Gomez, Eric Weingerber, Dr. Stuart Krost, Andrew White and Matt Bloom, of PCA Funding; and Reich & Mancini, P.A. came to the rescue.

United by Attorney Goldstein, the small group of local professionals responded to the pleas for help by offering to purchase turkeys and hams for the 1,363 families with 3,091 children, with the exception of 108 turkeys provided by an anonymous donor, who will benefit from The White Doves Holiday Project this holiday season.

“I grew up in Fort Lauderdale and sometimes my parents struggled to put food on my plate, but managed to always do it, which is why I made the donation, because I believe in helping the people in our community,” Attorney Goldstein said.

“I have always donated to numerous causes that were dear to my heart and live by the motto, ‘give and you shall receive in many ways.’”

The generous donation of turkeys and hams helps White Doves achieve one of its goals, but more help is needed to ensure every family is served a complete holiday package.

The White Doves Holiday Project is still 5,000 pounds short of reaching its 18,000-pound non-perishable food goal and is encouraging residents and communities to LIVE UNTIED by either donating non-perishable food or starting their own food drive.

Suggestions for non-perishable food items include: canned vegetables and fruit, soup, rice, beans, pasta, boxed potatoes, peanut butter and canned meat.

Donations of non-perishable food items can be dropped off at The White Doves Holiday Project Warehouse at the Martin County Fairgrounds in Stuart.

Residents and communities are also urged to donate minor and major toys, valued at less than $20 and more than $20, respectively, to the Martin Volunteers/Toys for Tots program.

“Having enough major toys for each child to have at least one is a great concern and we are always low in the number of toys for children ages 9 and older,” Martin Volunteers Director Carol Hodnett said.

A list of Toys for Tots drop-off locations is available at http://www.martinvolunteers.org/whitedoves/toysfortots. 

For more information about White Doves, Martin Volunteers or Toys for Tots, call (772) 220-4472 or visit www.martinvolunteers.org/whitedoves.