Clearwater Beach Florida –
We’ve all heard the adage, “An Apple a Day helps keep the Doctor away” – well most of us forget that adage already assumes you have your basic food needs met. Unfortunately for some here in the Tampa Bay area that’s not the case.
As Jack and I sit here in Clearwater Florida today, like our Port Orange FL Realtor friend, our thoughts are not about “real estate”. Today we’re reflecting on all The Things we’re Thankful For and it’s easy to start racking up a long list.
- We’re thankful for our family and friends;
- We’re thankful for all the people we’ve gotten to meet while sharing our home town with them;
- We’re thankful for our health – it helps to live in a place where you can be outside and active all year long and get a natural source of vitamin D. 🙂
- We’re thankful to love our “day job”
- We’re thankful to always have plenty to eat at our home not everyone does.
It doesn’t take much more than an apple however it does take our help! On a recent visit to the local Food Bank we learned that the RCS, the Pinellas County Food Bank is almost empty. The RCS (Religious Community Services – coalition of 82 congregations in addition to local businesses, civic organizations and concerned citizens of Pinellas County, Florida) and does so much with the food and donations they receive.
The work they do and the people they help is just amazing. Did you know that 90% of the work at RCS is done by just 75 volunteers? It’s also a great way for local high school students to get their volunteer hours and help our community
Several of the community groups we’re involved with (Cub Scouts, Apples of Gold group, Leadership Pinellas, By Referral Only to name a few) have been working to make a difference by donating either food or money this Holiday Season.
Our family spent 2 Saturday mornings this past month with the local Cub Scouts collecting food in our Clearwater Neighborhoods. Jack is the Tiger Cub Den leader and I’m Sean’s Tiger buddy so we’re both very involved.
Below you’ll see how some of my By Referral Only REALTOR friends stepped up and helped out too. Here’s what we were able to accomplish recently by just having everyone do a small part. That makes Thanksgiving special for us – knowing others lives will be made a little better! 🙂
This picture shows that over 2500 pounds of food was collected! YEAH!!!
So as we reflect today on all we’re thankful for, it’s a great time to consider “paying it forward” and know you CAN make a real difference in someone else’s life.
If you would like to make a donation or start a food drive for canned goods at your office, neighborhood or civic organization, I encourage you to contact the RCS team. They can even arrange to pick up food if you have it collected at a central location like a school, office, place of business.
Here’s the RCS Food Pantry’s On-going Wish List:
Baby food, cereal, formula, juices, after school snacks for kids, boxed and canned food items, powdered milk, peanut butter, canned meats like tuna, plastic and paper grocery bags.
I have people ask me how they can help as just 1 person – it’s easy! It’s important that you know that the RCS Food Bank always accept donations of food and money, no matter how small 🙂 and or volunteering your time.
I have a friend’s son who helps sort food donations each week and he’s such a blessing to them. You can also see by the previous wish list – they are all easy items to get and yet they make a huge difference in the lives of a hungry family. $.90 of every dollar donated goes directly to program services.
For more information contact them at (727) 584–3528, check our the RCS web-site or send your donation to:
RCS
503 South Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave.
Clearwater, FL 33756
727-584-3528 phone
727-587-7747 faxAll donations are tax deductible “Each person receives enough supplies for three to four meals, based on the size of their family. There are no eligibility requirements for emergency food, anyone who asks can receive help up to twice a month” Source: RCS Food BankFriends, here is what a family normally receives (at most twice a month), so as we count our blessing and prepare for the biggest “Christmas Season” shopping day of the year – it’s a great time to remember the reason for the season and look for ways to “pay if forward” with the gift of food, time or money because it takes more than an Apple a Day! What are you Thanksful for? We’d love to hear
Wishing you and yours a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving from The Haydons!
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