It’s getting to that time of the year, Thanksgiving, when families get together and the feasts begin. While in other parts of the world, others are fighting for a grain of rice. 805 million people worldwide, imploring for one meal, to help feed his/her families. 912,790 of which are centralized here in Virginia, those who struggle to find a meal every night. These numbers are incredibly high, and extended research exposed me to a whole other world, to a world full of depression and loss of hope.
But it took five minutes. Five minutes that had fed hundreds of families on their Thanksgiving night. It was one night that I was coming home with my dad, when the subject of unfortunates came up. We talked about the luxuries I was blessed to grow up with, while another girl my age somewhere was broke, homeless, and hungry; and that’s when a light bulb lit up. I asked my dad about a food drive, something that could really help local food shelters. And in an instant, something inside me triggered, it was that night I researched and contacted several shelters, and finally received an answer. Over the course of the next couple days, I worked hard to receive permission from the sponsor and my community HOA. After that, I got to work on advertising, and asked one of my friends to help put out flyers with me. Countless nights went by, and the word was spreading quickly. It’s the Thanksgiving Food Drive! Another flyer to another mailbox. When finally the day arrived to go around and collect the cans, a newsflash came up, it was that day that the boy scouts were also conducting a food drive! And from there a little of me was let down, but I was fully determined to get my shelter a substantial load. It took four and half hours, going door to door, lugging hundreds of cans; but along with the help of a few other friends, we got to 250+ houses with at least 500 cans. At last, we took these boxes to the Blue Ridge shelter, and handed it over to an auctioneer. As we drove out, we noticed people from all over walking, or biking into the church lot, freezing and starving, and at that moment I realized that I was the reason one less person would have to suffer on their Thanksgiving night.
All it takes is 25 cents to provide a nutritious meal for a person in need.
To help out, visit www.wfp.org
(Yes, I realize it’s February)