Ms. Pearl's "Giving Back"

"Giving Back to others as God has blessed you." Updated For 2024

Pearlina Gibson 

CEO/Founder

May 28, 2024

Dear Neighbor:

2024 "Ms. Pearl’s Giving Back Charity Program will be Celebrating its fifteenth year of giving, The credit is extended to the Rochester and Monroe County Community for your generosity.

Once again we are asking the Rochester, and Monroe County community for their support. Our goal is to exceed more families that are in need of support to feed their household.

All donations are tax deductible our sponsor The Baden Street Settlement House, 152 Baden Street, Rochester, New York 14605 has a 501 (c).

Thank you Rochester and the Monroe County for your much needed support for 2024, thanks to all of you we were able to give 520 Thanksgiving Baskets to Families in need. Also 2023 we selected as many Children’s as we could of Murdered Parents and we were able to pass out a total of $3,500.00 in new toys. There was an area set up for Santa to give the toys to the children. Santa was one of Rochester’s finest an Officer from Rochester Police Department. 2024 We will repeat the Toy give away.

We are accepting canned goods, rice, pasta and pasta sauce, instant potatoes, monetary donations. If any items needs to picked up please call me [phone redacted]. Thank you all.

All checks made payable to Pearlina Gibson and mailed to the address above.

2024 Thanksgiving Basket Give Away will be November 15, 2024 12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.

Baden Street Settlement Gym, 10 Vienna Street, Rochester, New York 14605.

Sincerely,

Ms. Pearlina Gibson Founder/CEO.

2014-This was the beginning to my realization that there were many families, men, women, and children going without a meal every day. I knew I did not have the resources personally to meet the food shortest. I decided to set aside one-day in the year to try to aid the situation in my community. I chose the week before Thanksgiving as my first “Ms. Pearl’s Giving Back”. It was a huge success as well as a blessing. I used my personal funds to give away 250 Thanksgiving Baskets.

2015- After the success of 2014 I started preparing for 2015 much earlier. I began to look for sales at the local supermarket for non-perishable items to stock up. I would purchase these items by the cases. 2015 was larger than 2014. It was then I realized I could give too many more families if I reached out to the community, county for assistant, donations.

2016- 3rd year I followed through. And reached out to the community; I received perishable and non-perishable, and they came through with onions, potatoes, pasta, pasta sauce as well as canned goods. We gave away 350 Thanksgiving Baskets.

2017- Ms Pearl’s Giving Back with the assistant of many Chefs was able to give away Hot Turkey Dinners to all who came to receive Thanksgiving Baskets. We were honored because the Late Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, and her Office Staff came in put on aprons, gloves, and started preparing dinner plates to give to homeless, and the needy. We provided rides to and from one of the senior Citizens Set Green Apartment on St. Paul Street.

2018- Memories Tours volunteered one of their buses we made predation with City School #22 Principal and parents to pick up 50 children to come and eat a pre-Thanksgiving Dinner and we gave 50 Turkeys to the school. Memories Tours also had collected non-perishable items. Former Mayor Lovely Warren made her present to greet the people as well as spend time with the children. We honored because Mrs. Emily Minerva came to volunteer her time. Mrs. Emily Minerva is the daughter of The Late Louise Slaughter in honor of her Mother. We gave away 400 baskets and fed 250.

2019- Our volunteering Staff really increased to make our giving some what easier. We had the students from EOC under the director of Mrs. Valarie Joseph we had 30 students to fill baskets prepare dinners, clear debris, carry boxes to cars, greet etc. Honorable Congressman Joseph D. Morelle was in attendance, also Officer Moses Singletary. We fed 400.

2020- COVIC PANDEMIC placed a damper on our Giving Back to the community. We had to bring the basket give away back to my home and give the basket out of my garage. I had to schedule strict time lines for people to pick-up their baskets as not to cause unnecessary traffic in my residential area. We gave 200 baskets with a $25.00 Gift card.

2021

COVIC STILL LINGERING using my garage to pass out baskets we gave out 200 and a $25.00 Gift Card.

2022

A better year of giving after Covic Ironqouit Food Pantry gave baked goods, and non-perishable items. We were able to give away 300 baskets and 40 Gift Cards we are hoping to exceed 2022 to help more families.

2023- We were blessed to get Baden Street Settlement House became our Sponsor What a Blessing Mrs. Catherine Thomas, Director saw and understood what I wanted to do. Mrs. Thomas and the Board of Directors agreed for me and my Volunteers to bring my Giving Back Program to 15 Vienna Street. We gave 500 Thanksgiving to needy Familles.

2023 Continued--- We also gave away $3,500 in toys to Children of Murdered Parents. Rochester Police Department supported one of the officers played Santa. Rochester Fire Department brought one of the Fire Trucks for the children to be able to Climb aboard. November 10, 2023 was a wonderful day. To my surprise Congressman the Honorable Joseph D. Morelle, from the US House of Representatives presented me with The Congressional Award of Distinction for my Dedication to the Rochester Community.

Ms. Pearl's Giving Back 2024