holidays highlight need

2023 has been a year of struggles for many of those whom we serve through our various programs. This year has seen dramatic increases to cost of living expenses, a lack of adequate housing for our most vulnerable, and ongoing supply-chain challenges that have affected our and other nonprofits' ability to provide support to those in at-risk communities.

While the holidays bring much joy to many of us, there are also many for whom the holidays are a source of stress and anxiety. One of our goals during this time of year is to provide opportunities for celebration to those we serve by stocking our pantry with holiday foods, kitchen wares, and other such things to help bring a bit of the holiday spirit to our clients.

And though we are just entering the holiday season, we are already seeing that our ability to spread cheer is going to be limited by those same challenges that we have faced all year long. As it stands now, we are unsure if our regular sources for things like turkeys, hams, and other holiday fare are going to have those items for us to purchase. What that means is that we will have to look to retail and wholesale markets to secure those items, which translates into a significant uptick in costs.

For that reason, we are reaching out now to ask for seasonal donations to help us close the gap during this holiday season and give us the financial resources to improve our clients' chances for happier holiday season.