Goodfellows are Windsor’s real Santas

 

The Windsor Goodfellows are set to dole out about 3,300 Christmas boxes this year to make the season special for families in need.

The Goodfellows organization was started in 1910 in Windsor by Thomas May to raise funding to provide meals and other basic commodities to the less fortunate all year round.

This year’s special Christmas baskets will include vegetables, dairy products, and toiletries, along with fruitcakes and candies.

Madelene Chase, 73, has volunteered with the Goodfellows nearly her whole life.

“[It’s] wonderful to see the clients come in, the smiles on their faces, and they always say thank you for being kind to them,” said Chase.

The Windsor Goodfellows get the majority of their funding from a newspaper drive, said president Gilbert Barichello. “We do not get support from the federal government or local government. We are independent.”

The Windsor Star publishes a special Goodfellows edition free of charge for the drive every year, said Barichello. This year the newspaper drive is set to take place Nov. 28 to Nov. 30. The papers are sold on the streets by volunteers.

“Students of F.J. Brennan High School help the organization by going into the community to sell newspapers and also accept other donations from the people,” said Barichello. Some students continue to volunteer every year after they graduate.

The Goodfellows have also mailed out 12,000 letters to previous donors appealing for more funds.

They are set to celebrate their 110th anniversary in January 2020. The Goodfellows run a food bank, have a footwear drive for elementary school students and provide funding for breakfast programs at elementary and high schools in Windsor.

If you would like to volunteer for Windsor Goodfellows go to Windsorgoodfellows.org to find out how.