Many people typically spend their Thanksgiving enjoying a festive meal with their loved ones, reflecting on the good things in their lives.
For many families across the country, though, Thanksgiving doesn’t come with the same abundance. Instead, they face the reality of food insecurity.
Local food banks play a vital role in helping those in need, especially during the holiday season. This Thanksgiving, they need your help more than ever.
The Growing Need for Food Assistance
Food Insecurity Is on the Rise
Food insecurity – defined as the lack of reliable access to enough nutritious food – affects more families than you might realize. According to Feeding America, it affects 47 million people in the United States, including 1 in 5 children.
It’s an issue that is particularly pressing during the holiday season when food costs rise, and families come under additional stress. Add the lingering economic effects of the pandemic, inflation, and job instability, and it’s easy to see why local food banks also feel the pressure.
Holiday Strain on Food Banks
Food banks are always needed, but Thanksgiving presents unique challenges to these organizations. Despite many people donating food or funds during the holidays, the demand typically skyrockets commensurately.
Families who are already struggling with their budgets face the additional burden of trying to provide a special meal, often for larger groups. This surge in demand can leave food banks scrambling to stock their shelves and feed the influx of people seeking help.
How You Can Help Your Local Food Bank This Thanksgiving
1. Donate Food or Funds
The most straightforward way to help is by donating food or making a financial donation.
Finding a food bank to donate to is easy – just search for “local food banks near me”, and a list of results in your area should come up. Most food banks, like Philabundance in the Philadelphia area, have lists of items that they need the most. These include non-perishable foods such as canned vegetables, beans, pasta, peanut butter, and more.
When donating around Thanksgiving, though, don’t forget about items that can make a holiday meal feel special. Some examples of things that you might want to donate include boxed stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy packets, and more.
If you’re not sure about what to donate, funds are always appreciated. Food banks can often buy in bulk at discounted prices, which can stretch your dollar further than a typical grocery store.
2. Volunteer Your Time
Another excellent way to make an impact is through volunteering. Food banks depend heavily on volunteer workers, especially during the busy holiday season.
Here, again, you can search for “local food banks near me” using your favorite search engine to look for food banks that need volunteers.
On the Philabundance website, you can easily sign up for a shift to sort donations, pack boxes, or distribute meals. Your time can make a huge difference, especially during Thanksgiving when food banks have special events or meal distributions that require an additional pair of hands.
3. Organize a Food Drive
If you want to make an even bigger impact, you can get your entire community involved through a food drive in your neighborhood, workplace, or school. Through one, you can get your friends, family members, and colleagues involved to collect non-perishable food items or funds for your local food bank.
Food drives aren’t just a great way to stock food bank shelves; they’re also excellent for raising awareness about food insecurity in your community. If you’re not sure how to organize a food drive, Philabundance has plenty of resources on the subject that can help. Just look in their “Fundraise” page to get started.
Local food banks are lifelines for millions of people, but they can’t do it alone. With your help, more families can sit down to a meal this holiday season and feel the warmth and joy that Thanksgiving is all about.
