The month of GIVING is upon us…. At the end of this month, most of us will celebrate Thanksgiving with family, friends & neighbors. We’ll open our homes without a second thought, we’ll buy enough turkey that there will be leftovers for days, and we may even head out to the local store to buy new Thanksgiving decorations for all to enjoy. Food will be enjoyed by all, football will be enjoyed by some, and we’re all ensured a good night’s sleep after a long, full day.
But for many the picture of Thanksgiving looks very different. There are no family or friends coming over, because there are none to invite. There is no huge meal being prepared because one’s kitchen only consists of a single burner and a mini-fridge. There may be a handmade card hanging in the window, but that’s the only decoration that can be found. For many just eating a meal that is actually ‘hot’ is a huge blessing, there’s no television because that requires electricity and cable both which haven’t been paid for, and the only sleep some get is because they were lucky enough to have a few extra blankets on them, ensuring they wouldn’t freeze throughout the night.
How can our beloved Thanksgiving holiday look so different in one of the richest countries in the world? How can blessings be over pouring at one home, and then just 5 miles down the road the scene is vastly different? Whether we want to focus on these facts or not, it’s true, and in Arizona alone, 1 in 4 children and 1 in 5 adults won’t have that delicious Thanksgiving meal we all drool over. For those living with a food hardship, it’s just another day off of school, with nothing special to look forward to.
This month also starts the ‘busy season’ for us here at the Harvest Compassion Center. The number of guests we serve in November and December almost doubles! That is why we’re reaching out to you, families, business owners, local schools and churches to join forces with the HCC this holiday season to make sure families have something to look forward to!
Consider donating non-perishable food and hygiene items to the HCC or a brand new toy for our Christmas Toy Give-Away in December. These items allow us to love each man, women, and child who walks through our doors with life’s basics that we all take for granted!
Donations may be dropped off at the Harvest Compassion Center:
Monday & Wednesdays 8am to noon and Saturdays 1:30pm to 5pm
Or contact Nicolee Thompson to arrange drop off times.