Will You Be “Home For The Holidays?”

November 18, 2009 by HHC
Filed under Caring Corner, HHC ClubHouse

Will you be home for the holidays? If the answer is “yes” then you should count yourself blessed.

It’s that time of the year again. It’s time to gather around the table and give thanks and enjoy a wonderful meal with the people we love. It’s Thanksgiving! If you are reading this article on your home computer or cell phone with internet access, in the comforts of your own home, in warm clothing with a full belly, you are luckier than so many others in the United States.

What comes to mind when you think about Thanksgiving? For me, it’s warmth, comfort, love and great food. I have vivid memories of the smells in the house, the laughter in the kitchen, the fireplace roaring and the sound of football! It’s a time of year to be thankful for what we have, to make a conscience effort to recognize how blessed our lives really are. The problem with Thanksgiving is, some people only take this time of year to recognize that instead of realizing their blessings daily and thinking about giving back to their community all year long.

There are more than a million homeless people and families in America right now. In May of 2009 our unemployment rate reached 9.4%. There are thousands of homes in foreclosure. Homelessness is on the rise more than ever due to our current economic situation. It is time we took a new and different look at the “homeless.”

Homelessness is caused by many factors including but not limited to: lack of affordable housing, lack of quality jobs, mental illness, domestic violence, substance abuse and more. Homeless people are not all the same. In the past, many have viewed the homeless as sad or possibly with disdain and labeled them many things. They are just individuals or parents frantically searching for jobs and ways to feed their family, ways to keep their children clean, clothed and in school without a place to live. We have thousands of veterans returning from war to find there are no jobs for them. They are not crazy or lazy but just victims of a terrible economy and a run of bad luck. Many thousands of them would love to have a job and be able to provide for their family and go back to living their happy, independent life where they can contribute to society with pride.

This year I hope many take a step back and not only continue to create our time of “thanks giving” for our children, friends and families, but take the time to help others who can’t do that for themselves.

There are so many ways you can make a difference in a homeless persons life. The first is to hopefully change your thoughts, see them through my eyes and open your mind and heart. Most all towns have food drives for people, maybe at your local school or supermarket. Contact your local police station and ask what food drives are available or perhaps one specific family you could help. Most houses of worship are always helping and have lists of people they help. At my local homeless shelter for $1.92 I can provide a Thanksgiving dinner for a homeless person. If you own a business, consider hiring someone who truly wants and needs to work. Gather your neighbors and friends and perhaps help just one family get back on their feet or donate food or clothes. We are all busy and stressed to the max, especially this time of year. If you don’t have time to help, monetary donations are wonderful too. Every penny helps. Find your local shelter and donate! Even if only $1. Small change makes big changes!

Perhaps your office, sports organization, house of worship etc., is having a holiday party. What do they do with all the left over food? Consider donating it to your local shelter. See what your grocery store does with their day old bread and pastries. Offer to pick it up and drop it off at your local shelter. Clean out your closets, pick up one item from the clearance rack when holiday shopping, buy a few travel size shampoos and soaps, a new package of socks!

This past Spring the league where my children play baseball had a bbq for everyone. I asked if I could donate all the leftovers to my local shelter. Many didn’t even know it was less than 2 miles down the road. Not only did I hopefully raise awareness, I got to donate all that food instead of them throwing it away. It was a great feeling!

I hope by reading this it can help you raise awareness, get involved in your community or help in some small way. This Thanksgiving, as we spend time with our loved ones, let us remember the homeless and those in need. The next time you see a homeless person or family, remember they weren’t always that way, they are human beings, and think to yourself, “there but by the grace of God go I.”

Happy Thanksgiving~