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Season of giving

Posted 11/15/22

It’s the holiday season already and many families are getting ready to gather for Thanksgiving. If you’ve walked into some department stores recently it might seem like we’ve …

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Season of giving

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It’s the holiday season already and many families are getting ready to gather for Thanksgiving. If you’ve walked into some department stores recently it might seem like we’ve already skipped Thanksgiving and moved directly to Christmas.

Thanksgiving is a little over a week away and it’s important to pause and remember all the things that we’re grateful for.  It’s also an important time of year to remember those who go without and how we might be able to give back.  

According to data from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, there were close to 600,000 people experiencing homelessness on our streets and in shelters in America as of January 2020. Most were individuals (70 percent), and the rest were people in families with children.

It can be especially tough during the winter months here in the rural northeast, where temperatures routinely drop below freezing at night.

Many of them rely on programs and charitable organizations to survive. 

Food pantries are located throughout Sullivan County and they’re almost always looking for donations and volunteers. Places like Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Monticello work hard to provide assistance to those in need and the United Methodist Church and Saint Peter’s Church in Liberty are just two more examples of our community stepping up to help.

You can do even more by donating new or gently used clothing to a local charitable organization. Winter coats and new socks are two of the most highly requested items at homeless shelters. 

The Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless is another not-for-profit organization established in 1987 to provide assistance to individuals and families in need. The Federation helps as a safety net for those in need, providing food and advocacy to those in crisis situations.

For more than 30 years, United Way of Sullivan County has been supporting programs and services that address the needs of Sullivan County residents, helping more than 5,500 people every year. 

So this holiday season as we gather with friends and family, let’s find some way to give back and remember those in need.

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