Our local Mission always does a food drive at Thanksgiving. They have volunteers standing outside the grocery stores in town with a list of items for a traditional T-Day meal. For the last 20 years, we've provided a meal for a family through that program. This year, we were able to provide 2.
At Christmas time, we always do the Angel Tree program through Wal Mart. We have 3 kids and choose a boy and girl the age of my younger 2 and randomly choose a 3rd ornament from the tree because the oldest is 24.
My Girl Scout troop has adopted a local family in dire need this year. We always do something during the holidays, but this is the first time we've adopted a family. We'll provide food, gifts, help with the gas bill to get the heat back on, and even the tree itself. We even have two girls working on quilts for the child as well as mom and dad.
My kids and the girls in the troop love helping and it's good for them to realize not every body is as fortunate as we are.
Also wanted to add regarding the elderly; two years ago, we knew my FIL was dying during the Christmas season. He was in a care facility. One night, a family none of us knew knocked on the door and asked if they could come in for a moment. They carried a holiday bag full of wrapped gifts. The children greeted everyone in the room and the mom and dad spoke to my FIL as if they were long lost buddies. They wished us all a Merry Christmas as they left the room.
We asked the nurses about this family, and were told they came every year, with gifts for every patient. My FIL was deeply touched by their warmth.
