Moist and juicy turkey, whipped peaks of creamy mashed potatoes drowned in gravy, succulent green bean casserole, divine cornbread stuffing, sweet potato pie with a mountain of fluffy marshmallows, and pumpkin pie with a generous portion of whipped cream swirled on top.
For many Americans, Thanksgiving means an abundance of food enjoyed in the home of loved ones. Unfortunately, many people take for granted that the meal will be there year after year. What happens when it’s Thanksgiving Day and there is no food on the table? The National Coalition for the Homeless estimates that within a given year, 3.5 million people will experience homelessness. Though many people think this can never happen to them, 65 percent of Americans are one paycheck away from being homeless.
The holidays are often a time the more fortunate try to lend a hand. Jessi Johnson, Head Volunteer Coordinator for P.E.A.C.E., embraces the help but wishes the sentiment was more year-round.
“It’s just sad that this is the time of the year that people donate the most. Not to say that I think people shouldn’t donate this time of year- but just so people remember that hunger and homelessness doesn’t only exist during November and December.
During the month of November, the University of Tampa’s P.E.A.C.E. Volunteer Center held a donation drive called “Boxes of Hope.” The goal of this program was to provide complete Thanksgiving meals to as many deserving families as possible.
Cindy Yguanzo, a freshman member of P.E.A.C.E., enjoyed her first experience with this program.
“It’s a great opportunity to come and experience how connected we can become with the community,” Ynguanzo said. “We get so wrapped up in [UT] as a campus and forget there’s a city out there.”
“Boxes of Hope” helped collect over 200 pounds of food this year, helping nearly 20 families enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday.
Katrina Vidal, a first-year P.E.A.C.E. volunteer, was happy with the turnout.
“I feel the holidays is a lot of just buying and buying and buying,” Vidal said. “And when you do something for someone that needs [help] all year round, it makes you want to do it more.” For Johnson, the best part is the insight she’s gained into homelessness.
“The greatest part for me is that I used to feel very uncomfortable around homeless people, as most of us do,” Johnson said. “But through talking with them and learning that they are people too, I’ve found that most of the time they’d rather have … a conversation than a meal.”
All items collected by P.E.A.C.E. were given to Metropolitan Ministries to hand out. This is the second year P.E.A.C.E. has participated in this food drive.
“It’s great to see what a set up they have for donations for Thanksgiving and the Holidays,” said Johnson. “They have what’s called a ‘Holiday Tent’ where you can drive up and drop off your donations. This works well for those donating that are short on time or may feel uncomfortable in that kind of situation.”
The holidays help people to look back on all the good memories of the year, and for Johnson and the rest of the P.E.A.C.E. center, they’re also a time for people to do their part.
“It’s an issue that’s not going away anytime soon,” Johnson said. “And we need to change that.”