- April 25, 2024
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Bob Truilo calls out to the crowd of 60 volunteers to say that they have officially reached the last box. A loud cheer rings throughout the building, but only for a moment.
"Wait," he said as he peaks under the assembly line table. "Get those boxes under there. We can use those."
And as eager as they were to finish, the volunteers maintained their energy to complete the task at hand.
This has been the scene for Julia Truilo and her family every Christmas for five generations. Her great-grandfather started the Community Christmas Club of the Halifax Area during the Great Depression, and a member from the family has been serving ever since, including her children.
"My son wanted to be here today," she said. "I just got a text from him saying he was sad he wasn't able to make it."
According to Julia Truilo, the Community Christmas Club began providing food to those in need in Volusia County in 1931through a combination of individuals, municipalities and businesses. With no staff, volunteers raise the funds, purchase the food, box it up and deliver it to families who need a helping hand at the holidays. What makes this charity so special to Julia Truilo herself is that those families are identified by city agencies who deal with them on a regular basis. This varies from the Ormond Beach Police Department's Victim Advocate, to the Daytona Beach Housing Authority, to Outreach Community Center.
"It's an amazing way to get people that need help, help," Julia Truilo said. "I think part of the reason I like it so much is that you really get a feeling that you're giving something directly to somebody. I love the feeling that we have a direct connection to someone that needs help."
This year, the team of volunteers packed up 730 boxes to be sent to selected families in Ormond Beach, Holly Hill, Daytona Beach, South Daytona, Port Orange and New Smyrna and for the Jerry Doliner Food Bank. Last year they filled and delivered 785 boxes.
