ESSEX COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICE CREW PARTICIPATES IN THANKSGIVING TURKEY GIVE AWAY
TO BENEFIT 1,000 LOCAL FAMILIES

An Essex County Trial Court Community Service crew handed out turkeys and the fixings to 1,000 needy families in Lawrence yesterday as part of the second annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. The food drive is a collaborative effort between the Essex County Community Service program and the Lazarus House, a local charitable organization.

The community service crew, made up of 14 offenders, loaded 11,250 pounds of turkey and 1,000 individual boxes of fixings such as canned vegetables, stuffing and gravy onto a truck for delivery. The probationers unloaded the boxes and distributed the food to families who would otherwise go without this holiday. The food was donated by local businesses.

"This is a way for the clients, probationers and parolees, to give back to the Lawrence community," said Tony Matrano, Essex County assistant court coordinator. "Community service is a wonderful program. The probationers also clean parks and help out at the Salvation Army where they wash floors and organize food among other things. Community service is a good alternative to prison."

The Essex County Community Service program will extend its efforts during other holidays and throughout the year.

A community service crew of 14 probationers moved 1,800 bags of donated clothes from the Lazarus House and packed them on a 55-foot trailer. The clothing was shipped to needy families in Third World countries such as El Salvador, Equador, and Nicaragua.

During the Christmas season, community service crews participate in Project Bethlehem which is a program where families in the community adopt families in need and provide them with food and clothing. The offenders will also load, unload and pass out the food for this project. Up to 600 families from the Essex County area have benefitted from this effort in the past. Another food drive, in which probationers participate, takes place during the Easter season. This food drive places food on the table for up to 300 families.

There are 21 Community Corrections Centers throughout the state. The statewide Trial Court Community Service Program operates out of each of the Community Corrections Centers. The Massachusetts Probation Service is a department of the Massachusetts Trial Court. There are 12 Superior Court, 63 District Court, eight Boston Municipal Court, and 12 Probate and Family Court probation departments throughout the Commonwealth. Probation's Juvenile Court System includes 11 divisions which represent every county in the state.