Every year in the month of November comes a special day where family and friends gather around to eat a feast, Thanksgiving. People prepare by cooking a lot of food like stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, pumpkin pie and more. But, some people do not have enough time or money to prepare a big feast for themselves or their family. So every year there are food drives that give to people that can not have a Thanksgiving meal. Food drives, food pantries, restaurants and people all give these people a chance to be fortunate enough to have a Thanksgiving dinner.

The local Haymarket Regional food pantry collects food to give to people on Thanksgiving. On October 14, 2017 they organized a Harvest BINGO. To get a bingo card people were asked to bring either a dollar or a harvest food item. Another event they have organized is in November, their annual Thanksgiving Basket Distribution. They ask that people contribute by donating online, or bring in food to the pantry.

Freshman Faith Kim shares what she thought about the Haymarket Regional food pantry collecting food for people who don’t have time or money to have a Thanksgiving dinner. Kim says, “It is great that the Haymarket Regional food pantry holds events to collect food so other people are given a chance to celebrate Thanksgiving with a meal at the end of the day.” It is a big deal to some people who do get the chance to have a Thanksgiving meal on the holiday.

Another way people contribute is through school fundraisers or food drives. Battlefield High School is holding a fundraiser, Operation Turkey. The fundraiser is collecting all kinds of foods like canned vegetables, stuffing, sweet potatoes and much more. On October 25-November 16 the fundraiser is collecting all donations. Then, they drop off the food to the Northern Virginia Family Services/ S.E.R.V.E. and A.C.T.S. Both are nonprofit organizations.

Freshman Lindsey Peterson shared how she thought it is great that the school holds a fundraiser for Thanksgiving so people get a holiday dinner too. Peterson says, “It is important for schools to hold fundraisers, since families are usually happy to contribute things to other people so they can enjoy the holiday just as much as anyone else. Operation Turkey should be a success because in the past years students and families contribute a lot of canned goods.” It is good that schools get involved and are happy to help out with food drives/pantries. School fundraisers can bring in a lot of canned goods for people who need it.

Furthermore, people can also help give less fortunate people a good Thanksgiving by volunteering to help serve them on Thanksgiving. For example, the College of New Caledonia (CNC) help every year by volunteering at Saint Vincent de Paul Society to help serve people on Thanksgiving. Students from CNC have been helping serve holidays at the Saint Vincent de Paul society for 13 years. Everyone who volunteers there are happy to help. The instructor of CNC, Ron Christian, said, “It makes my day. When I come here my day is fulfilled; and the students are starting to get that fulfilment in their as well to be able to help these people in need.” It can affect the people that are helping because they are excited that they are able to help out.“The people are very appreciative of what we are doing for them. They like to see their chefs in white hats and they feel important because they are being served,” Ron Christian said. It is implied that everybody is somehow appreciative and joyful at the end of the day.

All in all, these are all great ways how people can contribute to help less fortunate people who should be able to enjoy Thanksgiving as much as anyone else. People can help by contributing to food pantries, school food drives, and volunteering to help serve people on Thanksgiving. There are also many other ways people can help make others just as happy on Thanksgiving. Individuals can be impacted by these small deeds, it can bring them to appreciate the holiday more, and that makes all the difference.