Cranberry sauce. Stuffing, sweet potatoes and squash. Pumpkin pie. And a unique opportunity to loudly and proudly give thanks and give back.
Fortunately, there are many opportunities in WNY to share our bounty and give back to the community. As you gather all the fixings for your favorite Thanksgiving fare, purchase one extra of each non-perishable item to donate. If you are baking a pie, bake two instead and donate one. As you welcome friends and family to your table, take an hour or two to welcome newcomers, the homeless or economically challenged families to a community table. If you have children or grandchildren, there is no better way to model the spirit of Thanksgiving than by including them in these acts of kindness and generosity.
Here's a quick list of just five of the many area programs that are in need of food donations, serve those in need, and offer volunteer opportunities during this season of giving:
Turkey Express is the Buffalo City Mission's annual Turkey Drive that provides a traditional Thanksgiving meal to impoverished families, the elderly and shut-ins. At least 2,500 turkeys are needed by November 21! Volunteers are also needed to help serve or deliver food on Thanksgiving Day.
The Turkey Trot is not only the nation's oldest continuous foot race, it also Gives Back! Last year, YMCA Turkey Trotters helped the Y provide more than 3,800 meals for area families through the Food Bank of WNY. Whether you choose to trot or watch, you can join in the generosity. Drop off your donation of non-perishable food at any Buffalo Niagara YMCA branch now through November 30. And while you're there, why not pick up a Turkey Trot application. It's a fun event, and a great way to make way for all that turkey and stuffing.
Be part of 97 Rock's Operation Rock Out Hunger with WNY Food Bank. For the 11th straight year, 97 Rock’s DJ Jickster will live for an entire week in a Food Bank trailer collecting frozen turkeys, nonperishable food and cash donations! A record 4,000 turkeys, nearly 20,000 pounds of food and more than $20,000 in monetary donations were donated last year to help feed hungry families throughout the holidays. And if you want to do more than just donate, consider volunteering. Imagine the people you'll meet...
The Turkey Basket Project provides 500 area families with all the fixings needed to fix their own Thanksgiving dinners. The baskets include: a frozen turkey, two cans of vegetables, two cans of fruit, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, potatoes, brownie mix or dessert and a beverage. Put together a full baskets or donate of any of the content. Cash donations are used to purchase 300+ turkeys. A complete basket costs about $35. Hint: Buy a reduced price turkey with a $25 purchase and donate it. Turkey Basket Project host North Presbyterian Church in Williamsville can store these. Other Turkey Basket Project partners include Congregation Shir Shalom, Temple Beth Zion, the Presbyterian Village, Amherst Presbyterian Church, Williamsville East High School, Christ United Methodist Church, local Girl Scout troops, Dash’s Markets, Tops Markets and Wegmans.
Thanksgiving Dinner for Veterans in Need is served on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, providing a hot and nutritious meal to Veterans in need. For the 16th consective year, a turkey dinner with all the trimmings will be served by staff in the VA Food Court located in the hospital's lower level. If you know a veteran, especially one without a family table to sit at this Thanksgiving, why not invite him or her to this repast? And perhaps you can offer a ride and pitch in when you arrive.
There are many more ways to give back in WNY, but these five cherished and long standing programs are a good start.
Share the bounty, this year more than ever.
