Other Fellow First Hosts 2nd Annual Turkey Drive

The Other Fellow First Foundation will be sponsoring a turkey drive Sunday from 1-4 p.m. outside the Summit Diner for the second year running.

All of the food and monies collected will be donated to the Community Food Bank of NJ.

Last year Summit collected four tons of frozen turkeys, two tons of canned food and $59,ooo in cash, more than all of the other 24 participating towns combined.

Brett Haire, president of the Other Fellow First Foundation, said Summit blew everyone away with the amount of food and money the city was able to collect last year given the state of the economy.

"Summit has a lot of Wall Street folks," he said, many of whom had just lost their high paying jobs due to the recession. "That was Katrina to Summit."

But Summit rose to the task and Haire said he fully expects to do even better this year. And the food bank needs it.

Kathleen DiChiara, president of the Community Food Bank of NJ, said the list of people who needs help is staggering.

"Between 2007 and 2009 the number of people turning to the charities we suppot has increased 67%," she said.

DiChiara, who has been working with the food bank since 1975 said she's never seen a time like this.

"While we all can't do everything," Haire said, "this allows individuals to do something."

"You make a living by what you get," Haire said quoting Winston Churchill. "You make a life by what you give."