At The Jarboe Foundation, our work has always been about helping people facing hardship. Sometimes that means providing assistance directly to an individual or family. Other times, it means partnering with schools, food pantries, and community organizations that are already doing important work in our communities.
Our Thanksgiving Project is a great example of how these partnerships allow us to extend our reach and help more people.
Supporting Students and Families Through Local Schools
One of our largest Thanksgiving partners is Nativity School of Worcester, an independent middle school that provides a tuition-free, faith-based education and welcomes students of all faiths.
Nativity has served Worcester for more than two decades and continues to make a meaningful investment in the lives of its students. The school has grown to serve 104 students and has expanded from an all-boys school to include girls as well.
Our relationship with Nativity goes back to 2018, when we delivered 20 turkeys and Thanksgiving totes. It's been especially rewarding to see the school's continued growth and to remain part of its Thanksgiving efforts over the years.
We've also provided Thanksgiving support through several other schools, including:
South High Community School in Worcester
Worcester Dual Language Magnet School, formerly known as Chandler Magnet School
Park Avenue Elementary School in Webster
Working with schools helps us connect assistance with families who may need additional support during the holiday season.
Partnering With Local Food Pantries
Food pantries are another important part of our community support. They provide ongoing access to food and essential resources for individuals and families, often long after a holiday project has ended.
Our Thanksgiving efforts have included food support for:
North Brookfield Food Collaborative
Oxford Food Pantry
Sutton Food Pantry
By supporting organizations already serving their communities, we can help strengthen existing resources and reach people who might otherwise go without.
Supporting Organizations That Make a Difference Every Day
Our work isn't limited to Thanksgiving.
We've also partnered with Jubilee Church in Worcester, providing meal totes for 50 families in a previous Thanksgiving effort. Their volunteers contributed additional hands to help make the project possible, demonstrating how partnerships can work in both directions.
The Boys & Girls Club has also been an important organization to us. From supporting its food pantry to helping organize areas within the club, we've been glad to contribute to the work it does for local children and families.
Our connection is personal, too. Our brokerage recently hosted a dinner there, and I have been involved in its mentor program. Seeing the impact the organization makes for young people in our community is a reminder of why supporting these local resources matters.
And, Of Course, Individual Families
These partnerships represent only part of what we do.
Alongside our work with schools, food pantries, and community organizations, we also support individual families directly, including personal deliveries to households experiencing hardship.
Every situation is different, and we believe it's important to help where we can while remaining thoughtful about how our resources are used.
We can't meet every need, but we can work alongside others who share a commitment to helping people through difficult times.
Community Support Works Best When We Work Together
The Jarboe Foundation is grateful for the schools, food pantries, community organizations, volunteers, and donors who make this work possible. These relationships allow us to reach beyond what one organization could accomplish on its own.
Whether we're helping a school support its families, contributing to a food pantry, working alongside volunteers, or delivering assistance directly to a household, the goal remains the same: making a meaningful difference for people in our community.
Have a question about the organizations we support or the work we do? We'd love to hear from you.
You can learn more about our current efforts, support our Thanksgiving Project, or get involved by visiting The Jarboe Foundation's website.
Every helping hand matters, and together, we can do more.