Everyone is talking turkey, and one local nonprofit is encouraging Tucsonans to consider sharing their bounty during Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season.
“Food insecurity is real. It was real before the government shutdown and this has exacerbated it ... but the community has been super generous as far as food or money to buy food and they are helping us to meet the need,” said Tom McKinney, CEO of the nonprofit Interfaith Community Services (ICS)
ICS offers an array of services for low-income families, including mobile and brick-and-mortar food banks; emergency financial assistance with rent and utilities; employment assistance; education assistance for single moms; tax preparation services; and more. Nearly 10,000 families — or 35,000 individuals — are currently receiving assistance through ICS food banks and produce giveaways.
The government shutdown has also impacted funds that support low-income housing, according to McKinney.
“The shutdown has stemmed a lot of funding that keeps people from being evicted, and that has been a challenge," McKinney said. "We are seeing unprecedented calls and have less resources for emergency financial assistance for rent and utilities, so the quicker we have a resolution, the better."
Last week, he met with other local nonprofits that are reportedly seeing a “trickle-down” effect from the shutdown.
“Families need to use rent money to buy food, or food money to pay rent," said McKinney. "If they have no money for food, they are probably not going to buy gifts for their kids. It is tough time of year for this to be happening."
A core group of more than 700 active ICS volunteers are doing their part to brighten the season for those facing challenges.
Among those is June Golden, who volunteers with her husband, Greg. For the fourth consecutive year, the couple is supporting the ICS Gifts of Love Program.
Golden said it is a privilege to be involved with the need-based annual drive for families and those who live below the poverty line. The recipients, who include seniors and those with special needs, have been ICS clients during the year. Many are facing unemployment, hunger, homelessness, isolation, and other significant challenges.
“Some of them have no family here; they are the ones who your heart goes out to. They have no one and are just so thankful that someone has remembered them,” Golden said.
She and Greg have assisted with tasks such as coordinating gifts for families, delivering gifts to recipients, and shopping for gifts with monetary donations.
“That has been fun for us. We don’t have children or grandchildren at home — they are older now — and this helps to get us in the Christmas spirit,” she said.
Golden suggests that others consider volunteering for ICS, where they have made lifelong friends with wonderful people.
“It is just such a worthwhile cause," she said. "We try to be involved as much as we can because we have been so blessed in our lives. When we have needed help, especially with our youngest son who had serious medical problems throughout his life, we had people who rallied around us."
Additionally, Golden said that witnessing the need firsthand often makes people realize that donations of time or talent are as vital as providing financial support.
“I think if people see the need in the community, they will realize that even if they can’t give money, just to be there and provide words of comfort makes a big difference in people’s lives,” she said.
David Greengaard, 74, has experienced the ICS difference for the past two years.
Greengaard, who is visually impaired, is in the Gifts of Love Program. He also receives deliveries of food and produce boxes as well as assistance with transportation and housecleaning, and social activities through monthly Coffee & Conversation events.
“I have received the benevolence of their charity and experienced the inclusion of being able to participate in their activities. Most of us like the camaraderie of having people around who are our age that are kind and pleasant,” Greengaard said.
He said he is particularly gratified that ICS volunteers welcome people with different disabilities.
“If you can’t see or hear, or you are in a wheelchair," he said. "They still see you as a person. They understand that people live at different levels. They ask you what you need and they pay attention and really listen to what you say. I can’t tell you how much that means."
