Vincent J. Jewelers donates to help feed local families

Published 12:58 pm Monday, April 24, 2017

While the store’s assortment of jewels and precious metals are certainly impressive, the most dazzling thing inside the downtown’s Vincent J. Jewelers last week wasn’t the store’s collection of jewelry, but of the generous hearts of the store’s staff.

Jim Frazier, owner of Vincent J. Jewelers, presented a check to ACTION ministries and the “Feed the Hungry” food drive. The donation will go toward supporting the ministry’s food pantry, located on Main Street in Dowagiac, as well as toward paying for the bimonthly mobile food pantry visits to the local community.

Frazier donated the proceeds from a sale the jewelry store organized last December. The store sold pearl and crystal bracelets for $10 each, with the entire purchase going toward ACTION and C. Wimberley Automotive’s annual food drive.

Although the drive takes place in the winter, the money generated from the “Feed the Hungry” campaign serves the people of Dowagiac and Cass County throughout the year. Twice a month, mobile food pantries from the Feeding America warehouse in Benton Harbor visit the community. Volunteers distribute the 5,000 to 6,000 pounds of food contained within the vehicles to local families in need.

The distribution will be at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 25, at Second Baptist Church, located at 203 N. Paul St. in Dowagiac.

Through the generosity of merchants and individuals, ACTION Ministries, who administers the funds is able to bring over 100,000 pounds of food to needy residents, leaders said.