Thanksgiving is one of the most joyous days of the year at God’s Love. Our staff and Board are joined by more than 500 volunteers and many celebrities, elected officials and media representatives. It is wonderful to hear everyone talk about how gratifying it is to be here (even though it’s 5 a.m.!) helping prepare and deliver meals to our clients and their families.

Without question, our clients are among the most vulnerable members of the community. They are people who are so sick that they can’t take care of their most basic needs, especially their need for nutritious food.

Our clients are often hidden. They are mostly at home, except for doctors’ appointments and treatment sessions. They are invisible to many who don’t realize the toll that illness can take, who don’t understand how family and friends sometimes drift away when someone is no longer able to take part in spontaneous outside activities.

Many of our clients tell us how isolated they feel, especially during the holidays. Often, their only company is the delivery volunteer or driver who stops by to bring them meals and to chat. It is easy for society to forget about them.

But we don’t.

On Thanksgiving, our staff and volunteers celebrate with our clients. We deliver a beautiful and delicious Thanksgiving feast – the whole works: turkey, stuffing, mixed vegetables, gravy, cranberry relish and sweet potatoes, all topped off by an apple crisp for dessert. We deliver guest meals so that clients won’t be alone and can invite a friend or neighbor over for the holiday. And, we deliver a gift basket full of specialty foods so that clients know that they are valued and remembered.

We are thankful that we can be here for our clients on Thanksgiving and throughout the year. We are grateful for the generosity of all of our supporters who make it possible for us to cook and home-deliver nutritious, individually-tailored meals that are prepared with love and caring. We are deeply appreciative of our partnership with our volunteers whose commitment and energy make our work so rewarding every day.

On Thanksgiving, we will touch the hearts and homes of almost 2,000 clients and their families and friends. I know that each one of us will do so full of thanksgiving for our good fortune and health.