As Thanksgiving approaches it is time to think of those that are, less fortunate. The true spirit of Thanksgiving can be expressed by sharing food with others. The hundreds of thousands of homeless in the country are in greatest need, and we can help.

Generally, those at CV have plenty of food on the table, but homeless people are always struggling to find their next meal. We can help with that next meal by donating food to one of the numerous food drives that sprout up around Thanksgiving. Many schools also host food drives for the needy, making it very easy to get involved.

Upon searching high and low on the Internet, I was surprised with how hard it was to find a local place to volunteer or even donate food. There were a lot of food drives, yet none I found were in the Los Angeles area. The shipping company DHL is hosting a food drive through America’s Second Harvest, yet its website (www.dhl-usa.com/thanksgiving) had a dead link.

Since the Internet was no help for finding a place to donate food, I searched for somewhere to make a monetary donation. Through America’s Second Harvest you can easily make donations to help people all over the country. A.S.H. is the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization, distributing more than 2 billion pounds of donated food every year. Donate by simply going to www.secondharvest.org, and by entering a credit card number or sending cash or check you can make a donation as small as $25. Every dollar donated buys 20 pounds of food and grocery products for hungry people across the country.

If you feel inclined to help out in a larger way than just donating food or money, the Hollywood organization Food on Foot helps directly by serving food to those in need.

“Food on Foot is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the poor and homeless of Los Angeles with nutritious meals, clothing, and assistance in the transition to employment and life off the streets,” claims www.foodonfoot.org.

Food on Foot is based in Hollywood and serves over 500 meals to the poor and homeless every week. They work at 1625 N. Schrader Avenue in Hollywood every Sunday, distributing food, clothes, backpacks, sleeping bags and other essentials. The required donation for the typical weekly serving is $15, yet the Thanksgiving serving requires an abnormally high $75 donation. On Thanksgiving Day, Food on Foot is holding a large celebration in Hollywood. Thanksgiving meals will be served to over 250 homeless and poor individuals. To sign up for the Thanksgiving Day serving, go to www.foodonfoot.org.

Our very own Key Club also helps the homeless by making sandwiches and distributing them at Pacific Union Station once a month.

“We also participate in the Run for the Hungry at Memorial Park. All the money goes to feeding people in need” says Key Club President Jennifer Lee.

The Run for the Hungry is an annual five-kilometer run/walk at Memorial Park in La Cañada. Registration costs $30 for adults and $25 for kids under 11.

“Runners are also asked to donate non-perishable food,” said Event Coordinator for the Run for Hungry, Rebecca Harvey.

Register at www.runforthehungry.com. Volunteers are also needed at the race. Call The Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge if interested.

The Run For the Hungry food drive is also collecting food from anyone who wants to donate in the classroom of science teacher Brett Harvey, Room. 2204.

“We are so grateful to have the outpouring support of our community to help the needy in our Foothill communities,” commented Harvey.

All the donations go to people in our neighboring communities; none of it leaves the foothills. None of the money raised goes to large organizations such as the Red Cross.

“We would rather help the little people,” said Harvey.

The Red Cross and similar organizations get large amounts of government funding whereas Run for Hunger does not. They need all they can get to help the hungry people of the surrounding Foothill communities.

Volunteering at a shelter or for food distribution and actually being with the people will open your eyes to who they really are.

Thanksgiving is a time that is supposed to remind us of how much we have and how we need to help others who have less. Homeless people throughout the country are some of those in greatest need. While you’re preparing for your Thanksgiving feast, remember those that don’t have family members to gather around a table with and make their holiday brighter by extending a helping hand.