Submitted by Eye Reader Rochelle Hughes
In 2006, Mayor Sebastian Giuliano and the Common Council of the City of Middletown voted to appropriate a matching grant for the Amazing Grace Food Pantry, a program of St. Vincent DePaul, Middletown
For every dollar that the food pantry raised, the city would match fifty cents, up to $25,000.
The first event was the Amazing Challenge Soup Supper, which was a combination thank you to friends of Amazing Grace and a delicious supper of soup and bread all donated by area restaurants, churches and friends. Scores of people attended the no charge event and brought along their checkbooks. Thanks to the generosity of so many, a substantial amount of money was raised to begin the match.
In the meantime, Claudia DeFrance was thinking of a way to raise more money for the food pantry. She knew that the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Middletown would be ready to help.
Giannelli’s Early Learning Center on Round Hill Road, devotedly and lovingly operated by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Garden, had always hosted a meatball grinder day as a major fund raiser for their facility. Mrs. DeFrance had heard that they were not doing the fundraiser anymore and approached Sister Donna and Sister Consulata about having a meatball grinder day for the Amazing Grace Food Pantry. The Sisters were happy to turn the day over to Amazing Grace and the first “GRINDERS FOR GRACE” was established.
Help was needed to organize this huge task. Fred Terrasi was the President of the Italian American Civic Order at the time. The IACO has a reputation in Middletown for having some of the best cooks in town. So they were asked, they said YES and with them came the now famous, secret (Vinnie Munno) meatball recipe.
Together the members of the IACO and the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Middletown rallied to organize and perform the herculean task of making and delivering the grinders. One was Rochelle Hughes, a parishioner and member of the Finance Committee, who came forward to be the official bean counter – organizing orders, collecting money, keeping track of the totals. A daunting, crucial job to the success of the event and she shines each year as a true community organizer. One by one, members of every church in Middletown came forward to chop fresh parsley and garlic, roll thousands of meatballs, make gallons of homemade sauce, and of course make, wrap and deliver the grinders to Middletown and many, many surrounding towns and at the end of a very long day wash pans and clean the kitchen!
The first year, 600 grinders were purchased by area businesses, schools and friends. In 2011, 1,197 grinders were sold, resulting in over $6,000.00 donated to Amazing Grace.
This year, “GRINDERS FOR GRACE” will take place on April 19th at the Monsignor M. Davitt Fox Parish Center at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 10 Elm Street, Middletown.
Help is needed and if you have the energy to do “God’s work,” please join a remarkable group of individuals and work to help your neighbors in need.
Please email grindersforgrace@gmail.com and you will be sent a schedule of work times. If you do not have an email, please send a self addressed stamped envelope to:
GRINDERS FOR GRACE
PO Box 182
Middletown, CT 06457
“Like” Grinders for Grace on Facebook and follow the events leading up to April 19th…or call 860-930-3447.
During these difficult times for so many, please consider donating your time to help. If you cannot donate time, we would gladly accept your cash or check donations to defray expenses. Last year, over 600 pounds of ground beef, 36 dozen eggs, 40 gallons of sauce and all the ingredients to make our meatballs and sauce from homemade recipes were purchased, as were the packaging to wrap the grinders, labels to mark each one, napkins, paper towels and the list goes on. Please send any donation you can afford to:
Grinders for Grace, PO BOX 182, Middletown, CT 06457. Please make checks payable to Grinders for Grace.
Grinders for Grace would not be the huge success it is without the volunteers who do all the work. But most importantly YOU, the customers who buy the grinders, are the BEST! Without you, there would be no money to give to the food pantry; money that now is crucial because so many need the food pantry. Times are difficult for all of us. Therefore, a challenge is in place to donate at least $10,000 this year. Challenge a fellow business or another office within your building. Challenge at local hospitals, police departments, fire departments to place the largest order. Aetna thus far has the distinction of the largest order ever with 300 grinders going to their facility in Hartford last year!!!! (Their hearts never left Middletown). Can your business, office or group of friends top that? You can bet you’ll have a delicious time trying!
Thank you for supporting Amazing Grace. And thank you for helping your neighbors.
The first event was the Amazing Challenge Soup Supper, which was a combination thank you to friends of Amazing Grace and a delicious supper of soup and bread all donated by area restaurants, churches and friends. Scores of people attended the no charge event and brought along their checkbooks. Thanks to the generosity of so many, a substantial amount of money was raised to begin the match.
In the meantime, Claudia DeFrance was thinking of a way to raise more money for the food pantry. She knew that the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Middletown would be ready to help.
Giannelli’s Early Learning Center on Round Hill Road, devotedly and lovingly operated by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Garden, had always hosted a meatball grinder day as a major fund raiser for their facility. Mrs. DeFrance had heard that they were not doing the fundraiser anymore and approached Sister Donna and Sister Consulata about having a meatball grinder day for the Amazing Grace Food Pantry. The Sisters were happy to turn the day over to Amazing Grace and the first “GRINDERS FOR GRACE” was established.
Help was needed to organize this huge task. Fred Terrasi was the President of the Italian American Civic Order at the time. The IACO has a reputation in Middletown for having some of the best cooks in town. So they were asked, they said YES and with them came the now famous, secret (Vinnie Munno) meatball recipe.
Together the members of the IACO and the parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Middletown rallied to organize and perform the herculean task of making and delivering the grinders. One was Rochelle Hughes, a parishioner and member of the Finance Committee, who came forward to be the official bean counter – organizing orders, collecting money, keeping track of the totals. A daunting, crucial job to the success of the event and she shines each year as a true community organizer. One by one, members of every church in Middletown came forward to chop fresh parsley and garlic, roll thousands of meatballs, make gallons of homemade sauce, and of course make, wrap and deliver the grinders to Middletown and many, many surrounding towns and at the end of a very long day wash pans and clean the kitchen!
The first year, 600 grinders were purchased by area businesses, schools and friends. In 2011, 1,197 grinders were sold, resulting in over $6,000.00 donated to Amazing Grace.
This year, “GRINDERS FOR GRACE” will take place on April 19th at the Monsignor M. Davitt Fox Parish Center at St. Francis of Assisi Church, 10 Elm Street, Middletown.
Help is needed and if you have the energy to do “God’s work,” please join a remarkable group of individuals and work to help your neighbors in need.
Please email grindersforgrace@gmail.com and you will be sent a schedule of work times. If you do not have an email, please send a self addressed stamped envelope to:
GRINDERS FOR GRACE
PO Box 182
Middletown, CT 06457
“Like” Grinders for Grace on Facebook and follow the events leading up to April 19th…or call 860-930-3447.
During these difficult times for so many, please consider donating your time to help. If you cannot donate time, we would gladly accept your cash or check donations to defray expenses. Last year, over 600 pounds of ground beef, 36 dozen eggs, 40 gallons of sauce and all the ingredients to make our meatballs and sauce from homemade recipes were purchased, as were the packaging to wrap the grinders, labels to mark each one, napkins, paper towels and the list goes on. Please send any donation you can afford to:
Grinders for Grace, PO BOX 182, Middletown, CT 06457. Please make checks payable to Grinders for Grace.
Grinders for Grace would not be the huge success it is without the volunteers who do all the work. But most importantly YOU, the customers who buy the grinders, are the BEST! Without you, there would be no money to give to the food pantry; money that now is crucial because so many need the food pantry. Times are difficult for all of us. Therefore, a challenge is in place to donate at least $10,000 this year. Challenge a fellow business or another office within your building. Challenge at local hospitals, police departments, fire departments to place the largest order. Aetna thus far has the distinction of the largest order ever with 300 grinders going to their facility in Hartford last year!!!! (Their hearts never left Middletown). Can your business, office or group of friends top that? You can bet you’ll have a delicious time trying!
Thank you for supporting Amazing Grace. And thank you for helping your neighbors.
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