Thanksgiving will be here soon and planning for the holiday has already begun for many. But a day devoted to plentiful tables and full bellies also offers a stark reminder that not everyone is so lucky. 

Sadly, new U.S. Census data shows that food insecurity in the U.S. is on the rise. An article in The Hill reports that, “The number of Americans who did not have enough to eat over a seven-day period rose from over 18 million in August 2021 to over 26 million in August 2023, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey.” Experts point to the ending of pandemic era government relief programs and inflation as primary causes.

So, while we enter the holiday season and prepare to set a festive Thanksgiving table, now is the perfect time to show our gratitude by offering a helping hand out to those in need in our own communities by supporting our local food pantries. Thanksgiving food drives help provide essential meals to individuals and families in need. They play a crucial role in combating hunger and ensuring that everyone can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.

YouGiveGoods, a free giving platform, makes it easy to raise special Thanksgiving dinner items as well as pantry staples. See below for some of the food items offered for purchase/donation on YouGiveGoods.

Companies, organizations, and individuals can make an immediate impact by hosting a virtual Thanksgiving Food Drive on YouGiveGoods.com. On YouGiveGoods, donors purchase the items they would like to donate and YouGiveGoods collates all orders and delivers all items directly to the selected nonprofit at the end of the drive. This means no sorting, counting or disposing of expired or damaged items for the nonprofit - goods are that much closer to being distributed to the community. 

Make Thanksgiving 2023 the most meaningful yet by including helping others on your to do list.