On November 20, more than 100 volunteers joined together to deliver boxes filled with all the food needed for a traditional Thanksgiving meal, along with supplemental food to feed a family through the holiday weekend.
During October and November, more than 80 participating groups, individuals and companies collected supplies and donations to assemble boxes for families in need throughout Greater Nashville.
United Way created this inaugural Give Thanks Day of Action as a way to relieve some of the financial burden that many families face during the holiday season. The average family of four enrolled in SNAP—or food stamps—receives $465 a month for food, which breaks down to $5.16 per meal. The average cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is roughly $60. That’s 12 times the amount a family has to spend on a single meal.
“The holidays can be an expensive time for so many in our community,” says United Way President and CEO Brian Hassett. “With Thanksgiving being centered around food and sharing a nice meal, that can place a real burden on families who already have limited budgets. And for families who rely on free and reduced lunch during the school week, those few days off can place an even bigger burden on families during the holiday season. We knew we needed to rally the community to provide food to individuals and families who need it most.”
Because of the generosity of volunteers and donors throughout Greater Nashville, 1,078 families were provided with the essentials to share a warm, filling Thanksgiving meal together.
To view photos from the November 20 Give Thanks Day of Action, click here.