RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — With Thanksgiving just three weeks away, donations are still desperately needed to help ensure every family, child and senior has a warm meal to sit down to this holiday season.
It’s the driving force behind the 34th annual Project Thanksgiving, a partnership between CBS12 News, United Way of Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach County Food Bank.
Keep in mind, when you donate to hunger-relief initiatives like Project Thanksgiving, they’re able to stretch a dollar a lot farther than the public can at a grocery store as they buy direct from suppliers at a fraction of the cost.
Every dollar donated goes to assembling boxes that will be packed with all the Thanksgiving trimmings.
Then, with the help of the United Way’s network of over 100 local non-profits, they will make sure those boxes land in the hands of those who could really use the extra help this year.
Becoming a Community Hub
One of the non-profits that will benefit from the community’s generosity is Feeding Hope Village.
Diane Lewis started the non-profit back in 2016, operating out of Faith Deliverance Church where her husband is the pastor.
It started as just a small neighborhood food pantry, serving about 25 families.
Fast forward to today, Feeding Hope Village has grown into a community hub, in the heart of Riviera Beach, helping hundreds of people each week.
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One of the ways they do it is through weekly food drives. Lewis says every Wednesday, about 250 cars line up and roll through as a team of volunteers load up their trucks with groceries to help them get by.
She says more than 65% of the people they serve are seniors who are struggling to live on a fixed income.
When they come in, it is a one stop.
As the need continues to grow, Feeding Hope Village has also expanded its services to make an even greater impact in the community.
“What we try to do is not just for the food, but to bring self-sufficiency to our participants,” Lewis said. “When they come in, it is a one stop, So they aren’t going all over the community trying to find resources. Families can come and get services with Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP benefits. We can help with kids care, insurance and then we refer our community to local resources.”
Lewis says if it wasn’t for the community’s support towards initiatives like Project Thanksgiving, many of the families they serve would not have any Thanksgiving meal at all.
Donations will continue to be collected leading up to Thanksgiving with the boxes distributed the week prior. You can also donate food items with several drop-off locations spread across the county.
A $25 donation can feed a family of four.
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