Gloucester’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department recently donated $400 of proceeds from its 2020 Christmas and Holiday Parade, “Hometown Holiday” Mini-Virtual Edition to the Bread for Life Community Food Pantry located in Gloucester Court House.

The pandemic forced this year’s parade to go virtual, and the new format received enthusiastic community support.This year, 34 community members, school groups, local businesses and Gloucester County departments decorated shoebox-sized floats, which were filmed in front of several different Main Street backdrops. A day after the parade made its debut online, all the parade entries were taken to Main Street for the public to view under a tent.

Visitors were asked to place a coin in a jar next to each float to show their support and vote for the entry that they liked the most. This is where the money was raised for Bread for Life.

“It warms our hearts that we were not only able to continue a tradition that the community has grown t...