CLEVELAND — A northeast Ohio church is helping feed families in need this Thanksgiving. 

What You Need To Know

  • St. Casimir Polish Church in Cleveland collected donations to help supply a holiday meal to students in need at neighboring Willson School

  • Parishioners and sponsors contributed funds to purchase 25 hams and donate 75 pounds of yams to students and their families

  • School administrators selected students most in need of the meals and distributed the food ahead of the Thanksgiving break
​St. Casimir Polish Church collected donations to provide 25 hams and 75 pounds of yams to some families of students at Willson School. School staff members plan to determine the students most in need of the meals and distribute the food before the holiday break. 

“One good thing about the hams is they can make a meal out of this for several days, so that’s a good thing,” said John Niedzialek, a parishioner of St. Casimir. “And easy to cook; you just warm them up and so on. The yams, of course, are easy to cook, too, and they’re very nutritious. So, hams and yams for fams.”

Niedzialek picked up the hams from the Giant Eagle in Painesville on Monday. The store helped cover some of the expense, and he said the rest of the cost was funded through sponsors like Provision Impressions and NorthernOhioGolf.com, and donations collected by the Catholic parish. 

He said the yams were provided by Miller Quality Produce. 

Niedzialek delivered the carload of meat and several boxes of sweet potatoes to the school on Monday. 

Eighth grade student Jashaun Walston helped separate the yams into bags to be given to classmates in need.

“A lot of families, it will make their holiday,” Walston said. 

He said giving back to the community, no matter how small the gesture, makes a difference. 

“It kind of makes me feel accomplished as a man,” he said. “You know, I feel proud.”

Niedzialek said he and his fellow parishioners feel similarly, grateful for the chance to share some blessings. 

“I grew up around here and I like to do things around the community here because I see people in need,” he said. “We want to do something to help the people out.”

St. Casimir Polish Church is collecting donations to purchase more hams for Willson School students and their families at Christmas. If you’d like to donate, contact Niedzialek at john.niedzialek@gmail.com.