As we reflect on the end of 2024, we want to take a moment to thank you for being a part of our JCEO community. Your support means so much to us and the families we serve, and we could not do it without you. With your help we were able to serve thousands of families in the North Country this year, providing food, resources, education, emergency aid, and more to those in need.

A few of our favorite things from this holiday season:

• With your help, we raised more than $8,500 through the Backpack Program raffle! This fundraiser was sponsored by CVPH and Taylor Equipment & Powersports, and was brought to life by JCEO board member, Sonny Giroux. The funds raised will go a long way in helping us continue feeding local, food-insecure elementary students.

• Our hardworking staff ensured 1,544 people received Thanksgiving meals, and helped bring holiday magic to more than 2,000 children in the North Country through our partnerships with the Christmas Bureau and Holiday Helpers. We are proud to support these wonderful organizations each year by volunteering staff time, space, and resources to make their extraordinary gift-giving efforts possible! Together, we’ve helped brighten the season for so many families in our community.

• The Canadian Pacific Kansas City Holiday Train donated $4,500 to our food pantries, while the community donated 648lbs of food and $350 in cash during the event.

• More than 3,000lbs of food and $1,078 in cash was donated to our food pantries during the Feed a Family and Feed Your Neighbor events.

• Our very own Director of Senior Outreach, Julie Stalker, was this year’s City of Plattsburgh Holiday Parade Grand Marshall.

Thank you for supporting us this year! From all of us at JCEO, we wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday season and a New Year filled with peace and prosperity.