Mar 29, 2025
Guests are pictured browsing baskets available at the 2023 Basket Fair fundraiser for the St. Susan Center. Submitted file photo
St. Susan Center will host a popular fundraiser Saturday.
Returning for its 22nd year, the St. Susan Center will host its annual Basket Raffle Fundraiser at the Fluvanna Community Center, 3363 Fluvanna Ave., starting at 11 a.m.
According to Saint Susan Executive Director Cherie Rowland, this year’s grand prizes include $1,000, $500, an iPad, a 75-inch TV, and a five-piece Dewalt tool set. Additionally, dozens of baskets and gift certificates will be available for bid and food will be available for sale at the event. All proceeds benefit the St. Susan Center.
“Drawings will begin at 2 p.m.,” said Rowland.
Part of the onus for this fundraiser is the ongoing food insecurities that have been an issue in the area. Conduit Ministries, the St. Susan Center, Chautauqua County Rural Ministries, countless church food pantries, and, most recently, the 5&2 Ministries have all struggled to keep their food stocks full to some degree or another.
“We have served more than 10,277 meals since January,” said Rowland.
Rowland reported that the center is currently serving more than 200 meals daily, which puts it on pace to serve 60,000 meals or more in 2025.
According to stsusancenter.org, more than 2,633,417 meals have been served out of the soup kitchen since 1988. Approximately one in seven Americans rely on food donations or meal assistance to feed themselves or their family members, and 29.5% of Jamestown residents live below the federally recognized poverty level.
Additionally, other non-profits at times rely on the soup kitchen located at the Gateway Center, 31 Water St., Suite 130, to help keep their food store stocks replenished. As reported in a July 31 Post-Journal story, more than eight different food pantries located within Jamestown were struggling to keep the bare essentials on their shelves – some of these were replenished to a degree by St. Susans.
For more information, visit stsusancenter.org.
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