I look forward every year to the holiday season and all the extraordinary goodness it brings into our lives. People make the extra effort to think of others and our volunteers work hard to make sure there is plenty of food for everyone. SHARE volunteers do a wonderful job of reaching out all year long, but they out-do themselves in November and December. This year we distributed 11,000 Thanksgiving Dinner Packages! The count is not final yet for Christmas, but I’m sure it will be impressive. Add this to all the usual SHARE food, and you can see the amazing impact these volunteers have in their communities.
What I like best about this is the way it happens. The host site teams start early in the fall, reaching out, raising money, working with other community organizations to widen the circle and inviting everyone to join in. Then the community-at-large pitches in: a $25 check arrives in the mail to help one family; corporate volunteer groups and youth groups show up in droves to get all the extra work done; an anonymous donation is offered to help one hundred families...Every day there is something more that people are giving to keep the holiday spirit shining brightly.
The generosity of this spirit is a gift in itself. The people I meet in our warehouse are so happy to be a part of something good. The host site teams remain cheerful while loading those extra pallets of heavy food on and off the truck. When the nightly news is filled with economic turmoil, war and disasters, it seems important for people to connect to at least one good thing. We find gladness in sharing, learning that, indeed, it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Thank you for the part you play in SHARE, whether you are a new member or a long-time friend and volunteer. Working together we will touch the lives of thousands of people during this sacred season of sharing. My wish for each one of you is such abundant joy that you always will have plenty to share.