Temple University Athletics
Temple Football to Help Community With Food Drive
11.19.07 | Football
Nov. 19, 2007
PHILADELPHIA - The Temple University football team is giving back to the City of Philadelphia this week.
The Owl players, coaches, and staff have been collecting canned food items the last two weeks to aid homeless and formerly homeless men and women through the Bethesda Project. Additionally, the Temple football players, managers, and trainers have donated their per diem, totaling $1300, towards Thanksgiving dinners to be delivered to St. John's Hospice.
On Tuesday, Nov. 20, head coach Al Golden, his wife Kelly, and several players will make several deliveries. The first stop will be St. John's Hospice (1221 Race Street). They will donate 26 full turkey dinners that serve 6-8 people each, including a 10-12 lb. turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, rolls, gravy, and pumpkin pie.
"These meals will directly benefit hard-to-reach homeless men who visit us each evening," Joe Pinhak, Program Director at St. John's Hospice.
Then the entourage will deliver the collected canned food items to the Bethesda Project (722 North Broad Street, one of Bethesda Project's 12 residences and shelters).
"This donation affects us in a number of ways," Beth Palubinsky, Director of Development for the Bethesda Project. "For one thing, everyone at Bethesda Project is a football fan, and Temple has made this a very exciting season for us! And of course, we're grateful for the donation of canned goods. The men and women who live at Bethesda North Broad Street residence, who have been homeless, who are working hard to get back on their feet and who have such limited resources, appreciate this kindness. For another thing, we welcome the chance to partner with our neighbors to the North at Temple University in an effort to wrap our arms around vulnerable people. These young football players set a terrific example for their peers--really for the entire community. So, every way we look at it, this donation means a lot at Bethesda Project, and we're excited about greeting the Temple football team at North Broad Street tomorrow!"
"It is with great honor that Kelly and I represent Temple University and all of the members of the Temple football family who contributed to the first annual Temple Football Food Drive," head coach Al Golden said. "Through the collective efforts of our student-athletes, managers, trainers and all of the employees of Edberg-Olson Hall, Temple football will proudly deliver over $1,700 worth of food to both the Bethesda Project and St. John's Hospice here in our community. We are proud of our Owl Outreach Initiative and the impact that our student-athletes are having in the community. Furthermore, we are hopeful that the collective efforts of our football program will bring both nourishment and joy to more than 250 people this Thanksgiving season here in the City of Philadelphia."
Temple (4-7, 4-3 MAC) closes out the 2007 season at Western Michigan (4-7, 2-4 MAC) on Saturday, Nov. 24. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Waldo Stadium.
About Bethesda Project
Bethesda Project serves homeless single men and women in Philadelphia through its network of seven residential and five shelter settings. In the past year, more than 2000 homeless adults received housing, shelter, meals and thousands of hours of support services at Bethesda Project as they sought to manage their physical and mental illness, recover from addiction and reclaim their dignity, self-worth and independence. Bethesda Project, founded in 1979, is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit
BethesdaProject.org.
