A Thanksgiving For Everyone

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There’s nothing like the smell of turkey wafting through the house and little turkey hand-prints decorating the table. I love a fork filled with turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and a dab of cranberry sauce. I love leftover sandwiches the next day for dinner and I love pecan pie for breakfast. Most of all, though, I love the chance to really focus on the important stuff for a change. Not the stresses and the negatives, but the fact that I can sit in the house I adore, surrounded by those I treasure most in the world and just enjoy them.

What’s not to love?

But, not everyone is so fortunate. This has been a rough year for so many, and it’s constantly reflected in my Confessional:

I can barely afford to feed my family. It’s humiliating.

.. I am so broke I went to get a food-box. They told me I make too much money and I just cried and cried. I have no food. I don’t live extravagantly. I work at the welfare office. I can’t even tell my family how bad it is. . Thanksgiving dinner? Ha. I can’t even buy a loaf of bread. . My husband just lost his job. I have no idea how we are going to put food on the table. .

As stressful as my life gets, I have never worried about putting food on the table for my family. I’m one of the lucky ones.

… I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure out something to do – a way to make a difference – and life brighter, even just for a night. I hope, along with your help, that this can…

I’d like every Scary Mommy out there to be able to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner. To be able to cook a meal for her family without worrying about the cost, or making sacrifices to do so. To sit around a table, dining on good food with loved ones and toasting to an easier year to come.

Last year, USA Today reported that the average Thanksgiving dinner for 10 cost $43.47. Less than fifty bucks for a night of pure comfort food, for the body and the soul. For the lucky ones, that’s not all that much..

So….

If you could use help putting food on the table, please say so in the comments (anonymously, if you wish- I just need your e-mail and that remains private.) If you have $25 to spare this year, please say so, too. My hope is to match two $25 donors up with moms in need, giving those moms $50 gift cards to their local grocery stores so they can buy their Thanksgiving ingredients. Leave a comment with what you can give, and I’ll be in touch.

The first two meals are on me… Who’s next?

Let’s all celebrate Thanksgiving together.

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11-13 Update: Wow. You all are amazing. A-FREAKING-MAZING. I’m going to spend some time matching people up and I’ll be in touch with you all by Thursday… Thank you all, so very much, for making this happen.

11-16 Update: I’m closing comments for the moment just to make sure I have everyone taken care of. In the event that there is money to spare, I’ll open them back up!

11-16 (another) Update: I am opening the comments up for one last push, and then I will close them at 3PM EST so I can fulfill each and every request. I’m so excited to share the final results with you all!!!

11-16 (FINAL UPDATE, I SWEAR.) I’m having a really hard time closing this down. I’ll keep it open until 12AM EST and then, I’ll close it and be in touch with everyone..

11-17 (Yeah, I lied.) Unfortunately, I am unable to take any more requests, but if you want to donate, please e-mail me jill{at}scarymommy{dot}com. Thank you!!

11-18 I’ve posted the results and they are AMAZING. Go read!