Itβs November, so itβs time to talk turkey at the Salvation Army.
And though most people havenβt finalized their Thanksgiving menus β let alone wrapped up their holiday shopping β itβs also time to talk toys, adopt-a-family and red kettles.
βWe want to help whoever we can: We donβt want anyone going without on any holidays. We want people to feel loved and welcome and happy. So we need to start early to get donations and sign up volunteers and get people to sign up as sponsors for Adopt-a-Family,β said Shawna Kroh, public relations director of Salvation Army Tucson.
Krohβs first order of business is to collect donations of at least 300 frozen turkeys β along with 500 pre-cooked, store-bought pies and all the trimmings β in order to provide 1,500 meals to those in need at both the Thanksgiving and Christmas community dinners. Volunteers will also deliver 600 hot meals on each holiday to the elderly, disabled and home bound.
βMany people are not aware that we offer home-delivered meals on the holidays, but in the last few years we have seen a very large increase in need for these. We really need volunteers with vehicles to help with delivery,β Kroh said.
Volunteer Katie Leary, who first delivered meals two years ago after she became aware of the opportunity through the Junior League of Tucson, said that it is a great way to spend two or three hours on Thanksgiving morning.
βIt is a really good experience. You get to see different people throughout the community with different levels of income. It is really interesting to see the people who are affected and actually receive these meals,β she said.
Leary said the home deliveries also present an ideal opportunity to include children and families in volunteering.
βI encourage people to bring their children, because particularly on Thanksgiving, it is about being with family and friends. You can show your family the impact volunteering can have and teach them what it means to give back,β Leary said.
Another family-friendly volunteer activity is the Adopt-a-Family program, which Kroh expects to serve at least 280 families this holiday season. Last year more than 400 families applied to the program, which provides $50 worth of gifts for each child in a family along with a $50 grocery gift card for a holiday meal. Sponsors have the option to provide additional gifts and delivery of the holiday items. Kroh said that individuals, families or groups of friends or colleagues can also come together to sponsor the families, who are extremely grateful.
βGenerally these are families in which the parents are working but they have very low income or perhaps they have been laid off or become disabled. The school systems provide us with these families through counselors and teachers who are aware of which children need the most help,β Kroh said.
If sponsorship of a family is not in your holiday budget, you can still give back through the Salvation Army Toy Drive, which will serve 4,000 children ages 12 and younger this holiday season. New, unwrapped toys can be donated at Christmas Angel Giving Trees at Park Place Mall, Foothills Mall, Tucson Mall, La Encantada and Tucson Premium Outlets at 6401 Marana Center Blvd.
Finally, if you have more time to give than money, consider volunteering as a Red Kettle Bell-Ringer.
The Red Kettle Campaign, which begins on Black Friday and continues through Christmas Eve at more than 100 locations citywide, is among the Salvation Army of Tucsonβs largest annual fundraisers.
Proceeds help to fund not only Salvation Army holiday community meals and seasonal programs but services year-round, including back-to-school supplies, after-school care and summer camp programs for youth; the Salvation Army Hospitality House shelter and services; emergency assistance with rent and utilities; Operation Deep Freeze and Operation Chill Out to assist the homeless during extreme temperatures; and work assistance programs and case management. Kroh said the Red Kettle Campaign goal for 2016 is $600,000.
βThe more volunteers we have working the kettles, the more money goes back into services for our programs,β said Kroh.
Overall, Kroh said the Salvation Army offers a philanthropic seasonal opportunity for everyone, no matter how much time or money you have to donate. In-kind donations of food or gently-used clothing and blankets are also welcome.
βLots of people like serving at our Thanksgiving and Christmas meals since it happens in front of you, but there are so many other ways to see your impact, whether helping with clean-up, delivering meals to the home bound, adopting a family, bell-ringing or collecting coats and blankets for our clients in the shelters. There are so many ways to give back and make the holidays special,β she said.
