Terri O’Neill-Borders of the Hope and Friendship Foundation said that when she offered to help local families in need enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year, she expected to get 15 to 20 requests. But she said the humble requests kept mounting, until they reached more than 50.
“I didn’t expect the many recent layoffs, the sick kids causing a single mom/dad to miss work days and pay, the health scare that created doctor and prescription bills, etc.,” said O’Neill-Borders. “Those who are trying to run their households at the minimum wage and just above level do not have resources for these crises. They also don’t have an extra $15 for a turkey, but would love to enjoy one.”
O’Neill-Borders said she was fretting over how to come up with “all those turkeys,” when her husband told her, “They’ll appear. It’ll all work out. It always does.”
And she’s confident that it will.
“It’s not my role to make the magic happen – I just present the very real need and you [the community] have always made it happen,” O’Neill-Borders said.
Here’s where you, the community come in. Would you like to donate a turkey or money with which to buy one? How about making a few more of your favorite side dishes this year to feed four to six people in need? Here’s what you can do to help:
- Donate funds (about $15) with which Hope & Friendship Foundation can purchase a turkey this weekend. Email Hopeandfriendship@comcast.net for more information.
- Drop off turkeys or roasted chickens between 5:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday at Mindflow Café at 206 Main Street in downtown Lemont. The business has offered to store the donated food in their refrigerators until they can be picked up by Hope & Friendship volunteers.
- Drop off turkeys between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Lemont Township office at 1115 Warner Avenue. You can also donate side dishes to go with the turkey – just prepare them in containers for four to six people and drop them off at the township office between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. for volunteers to deliver to those in need.
- Volunteer to help deliver turkeys and side dishes by showing up at the Lemont Township office by 4 p.m. Tuesday.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
There are plenty of ways to keep up on Lemont news:
