This Thanksgiving, give thanks, then give back

When I was younger, Thanksgiving always kicked off a season of charity. Whether collecting canned goods for my elementary school food drive or rounding up sponsors during high school for the annual half-marathon in Atlanta on Thanksgiving Day, I always focused on the giving much more than the thanking aspect of the holiday. Sadly, that started fading in college. I was always too busy with school work or finding a job or traveling or, well, you get the idea. Now, especially in this time of economic uncertainty, I realize there’s no excuse not to rejuvenate the spirit of giving. Yes, things are tight for most of us, but did you know that one in eight Americans struggles with hunger? It makes me feel guilty for worrying about the extra calories I consume. I was completely unaware of this statistic until I checked out Feeding America, an organization dedicated to doing exactly what its name indicates—providing food domestically.

Operating for over 30 years, Feeding America works with governmental programs on a nationwide level to impact individual communities, providing funds for local food banks and much more. If you go to their website, feedingamerica.org, and donate $1, you can fill the bowls of 32 Americans in need, thanks to their “Fill a Bowl, Feed America” campaign, in which Kraft foods matches every dollar donated up to $200,000. Want to take a more active role? Type in your zip code to see where you can volunteer in your community. This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for my health and well-being. And that’s helped me realize: I’m in a good place to help others be thankful, too.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

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