Five ways to support local families this Thanksgiving
If you’re searching for a way to give back to your community, the Catalyst’s Impact Connector is here to help. Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude and giving, and what better way to embrace the spirit of the season than by supporting local families in need? From simple acts of kindness to more involved initiatives, these approaches offer opportunities to extend a helping hand and spread the warmth of the holiday season to those who may need it most.
Double your donation this Thanksgiving
You can inspire extra hope across the Tampa Bay area with Metropolitan Ministries, a nonprofit that provides meals, shelter and other essential help for families in need in the Tampa Bay area. Thanks to a $100,000 match, your donation goes twice as far, putting double the meals on the table for local families this Thanksgiving.
Meals on Wheels 4 Kids
Since 2020, Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger has operated a Meals on Wheels 4 Kids “Holidays On Wheels” program to deliver food for a full holiday meal and toys to transportation disadvantaged families for the holidays. Families with children in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Counties will receive a full Thanksgiving meal when they sign up for this program. You can donate to help fund the program or volunteer to deliver meals at networktoendhunger.org/holidays-on-wheels.
Support “Hope for the Holidays”
Hope Villages of America is feeding families with its “Hope for the Holidays” campaign. Hope Villages will give away Thanksgiving meals, along with sides and all the fixings, the week of Thanksgiving. The nonprofit’s leaders say they are in need of monetary and food donations to help those in need. They say the need is greater this year than in the past due to stimulus money from Covid-19 now drying up. To donate or volunteer at a local food bank, go to HopeVillagesofAmerica.org.
Fund a free Thanksgiving dinner
Every year, the Lealman and Asian Neighborhood Family Center hosts a Thanksgiving dinner that is free for any and all to attend. Lealman, an unincorporated area of Pinellas County located just west of St. Pete, is the focus of long-standing efforts to improve the conditions and quality of life for families living there. You can support the Lealman and Asian Neighborhood Family Center’s Thanksgiving dinner by donating at lanfc.org.
Florida Dream Center food banks
Florida Dream Center is requesting assistance in providing nourishing meals to neighbors who have endured months without regular sustenance. The Dream Center distributes food within Pinellas County to at-risk communities at four stationary sites on Saturdays, bringing the food to residents without transportation, elderly, homeless, low-income/no income or disabled. Additionally, during the week, the nonprofit’s food pantry distributes meals to 30 different locations, including local churches, organizations, shelters and other pantries. You can volunteer at the food banks and donate to the Florida Dream Center at floridadreamcenter.org.
By engaging in these five impactful ways to give back, we can empower our communities and contribute to a more compassionate society. If your organization is seeking volunteers, donations or awareness, click here to submit your opportunity. We’ll get the word out to our readers.
