Lt. Patty Simons Law Enforcement Food Drive

20th Annual Lt. Patty Simons

 Law Enforcement Food Drive

Attendees at the 2015 Lt. Patty Simons Law Enforcement Food Drive kick-off meeting included members of Patty Simons' family.

Attendees at the 2015 Lt. Patty Simons Law Enforcement Food Drive kick-off meeting included members of Patty Simons’ family.

 

The 20th Annual Law Enforcement Food Drive is underway.

In November of 2007 the food drive was renamed in dedication of Norristown Police Department Lieutenant Patty Simons. She was an active and vocal member of this effort since its inception, and we would like her legacy to continue to be part of this wonderful cause that was dear to her heart.

More than a dozen local law enforcement agencies and area businesses will team up to collect over nine tons of food. The food collection, one of the largest in our region, will supply the Catholic Social Services in Norristown, Eagleville Elementary School Snack Backpack Program, the Patrician Society in Norristown, the Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard in Ambler and the Salvation Army Norristown Corps with food for operations throughout the next year.

Agencies benefitting from the food drive
The assembly line works to unload the food at the Salvation Army in December 2013.

An assembly line works to unload the food at the Salvation Army.

  • Catholic Social Services through their Core Values of compassion, dignity, charity, justice and excellence feeds a total of 700 people a month in Norristown, with only three feedings a week.
  • The Eagleville Elementary School Snack Backpack Program provides up to 91 students with child-friendly, easy-to-prepare, nutritious food items for children to take home with them every weekend during the school year.
  • The Patrician Society rents space at Saint Patrick’s School basement in Norristown to feed 1500 people monthly.  They are the largest food cupboard in Montgomery County, not funded by County or State funds, and rely solely on private donations.  For 32 years, they have been providing assistance for elderly people on fixed incomes, homeless persons, and parents with children.
  • The Cupboard was founded by Mattie N. Dixon, a longtime resident of Ambler and a true visionary.  They feed 50 families daily and their mission statement is to facilitate the concept of “neighbors helping neighbors” without regard to race, creed or national origin. They strive to keep families together by providing goods and services to them so they can become more self-sufficient over time.
  • The Salvation Army’s food shelter serves 100 hundred meals a day, along with breakfast and afternoon snacks for children.  Families leaving the shelter are also provided with food to help them ad they start out on their own.  The Salvation Army, founded 140 years ago as a religious and social services organization, now takes a holistic approach to working with people addressing their physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs.
Parade to distribute food

Food may be dropped off at all participating police departments and businesses until Wednesday, December 16, 2015. At 9:30 am on December 17, a parade of police cars and motorcycles will lead a flatbed tractor-trailer from Greater Norristown Police Athletic League (GNPAL) on Harding Boulevard to the Salvation Army on Swede Street where an assembly line will unload the trailer.

The remaining food will be distributed to the Catholic Social Services in Norristown, the Patrician Society in Norristown, the Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard in Ambler, and the Snack Backpack Program at Eagleville Elementary School.

Flatbed tracker trailer load with food to be delivered to the Salvation Army in December 2013.

A flatbed tracker trailer is loaded with food and gifts in route to the Salvation Army.

Donation Locations

Donations to the Law Enforcement Food Drive may be made at the following locations:

  • Eagleville Elementary School, 125 Summit Ave., Eagleville
  • Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown
  • Einstein Medical Center Montgomery, 609 W. Germantown Pike, East Norriton
    • Hospital cafeteria entrance
    • Braemer Medical Building entrance
    • Korman lobby
    • Collegeville Outpatient Center, Providence Town Center, Collegeville
  • Five Saints Distilling, 129 E. Main St., Norristown
  • Great Frame Up, 1510 Dekalb Pike, Blue Bell
  • Greater Norristown PAL, 340 Harding Blvd., Norristown
  • Lee’s Hoagie House of Blue Bell, 710 Dekalb Pike, Blue Bell
  • Main Street Produce, 2431 W. Main Street, West Norriton
  • Marshall Street Elementary School, 1525 W. Marshall St.
  • Mercy Suburban Hospital Auxiliary Medical Staff Office, 1st Floor,  2701 DeKalb Pike, East Norriton
  • Montgomery County  Courthouse, 2 E. Airy Street, Norristown
    • Main St. and Swede St. entrance,
    • 1st floor outside Sheriff’s office.
  • Montgomery County Health Dept., 364 King St., Pottstown
  • Municipality of Norristown, Main Lobby, 235 East Airy St., Norristown
  • Norristown Area High School, 1900 Eagle Drive, West Norriton
  • One Montgomery  Plaza, Norristown
    • in the main lobby
    • 5th floor outside County Detectives
  • Penn Liberty Bank, 2724 Ridge Pike, Norristown
  • The Times Herald, 410 Markley St., Norristown
  • Tigers II, 1380 Skippack Pike, Blue Bell
  • Visitation BVM School, 195 N. Trooper Road, West Norriton
  • West Norriton Farmers Market, 1930 W. Main St., West Norriton
  • West Norriton Police Department, 1630 W. Marshall St., West Norriton
  • Whitehall Elementary School, 399 N. Whitehall Rd., West Norriton
  • Whitpain Township Police Department, (lobby) 960 Wentz Rd, Blue Bell

More donation sites will be listed as they become available.  To download the list (PDF), click on 2015 Food Drive drop-off sites (12-1-15)

To download the press release (PDF), click on 2015 Food Drive Press Release (2)

Education, Health, Community, Recreation