28th Annual Holiday Food Basket Program Supports 3,000 Families

Upper Marlboro, MD…  Sheriff High, Board President of the Public Safety Assistance Program, Inc. board was joined by Vice President Fire/EMS Chief Marc S. Bashoor, department heads of each of the county’s public safety agencies and other board members for the official kickoff press conference of the 28^th annual Holiday Food Basket Program last Monday.  The event marked the beginning of deliveries of over 3,000 food baskets to county families in need of assistance.

State Senator Victor Ramirez and Delegate Jolene Ivey joined dozens of sworn and civilian employees from public safety agencies and other departments to start the day with the tradition of  Firefighter Thomas H. Smith’s “Hearty Fireman’s Breakfast” at the Bunker Hill Fire/EMS Station #855 in Brentwood, MD.

Bill Milligan, Executive Director of the Public Safety Assistance Program, began the ceremony on the Fire Station ground floor where employees and supporters were surrounded by hundreds of boxes ready for packing and delivery. “We’ve already received 40,000 lbs of produce, 25,000 lbs of poultry, 20,000 canned and boxed goods, and 3,000 loaves of bread,” said Milligan.

Sheriff Melvin C. High, who is in the second year of a two-year term as President of the Public Safety Assistance Program Board told the story of how the Holiday Food Basket Program got

started when two law enforcement officers saw a man peeling leaves from a head of lettuce because he couldn’t afford the whole thing.  Their story found its way to the public safety agency heads who started the program.  Of the program’s twenty-eight years of growth and success, Sheriff high said, “Twenty-eight years is a long time…but what I believe the 28^th anniversary reminds us is that right action and right thinking are what endure.” 

Sheriff High introduced the members of the Board, including Vice President, Fire/EMS Chief Bashoor, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) for Public Safety Barry Stanton, Police Chief Mark Magaw and Department of Corrections Director Mary Lou McDonough, and Director of Homeland Security Brian Moe, along with Treasurer Rhonda Jackson of Homeland Security.  Milligan recognized a number of companies who helped the Food Basket with donations of money and canned and non-perishable foods, food collection barrels and equipment that the program uses as it begins each New Year.

The following organizations were recognized for their generosity and contributions to date: Banks Foundation – Scott Management, Beacon Lights of Bladensburg PD, Bunker Hill Fire Station #855, Burris Logistics, Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association, Clinton CERT, DC Venture’s Inc., District Photo,  GenOn Energy Inc., International Assoc. of Machinists & Aerospace Workers, Mid Atlantic Carpenter’s Training Center, Pepsi Bottling Company,  Prince George’s Association of Realtors Inc., The Roof Center, Safeway, Washington Redskins, Watkins Park Festival of Lights, the Prince George’s County Sheriff, Fire, Police, Corrections, and Homeland Security Departments, Councilman Will Campos (2^nd District), Councilman Eric Olsen (3^rd District), Councilwoman Ingrid Turner (4^th District), and Councilman Derrick Davis (6^th District).

For more information, contact the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Press Information Office at 301-780-2773.

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