Those who can afford to help others this year can help families with food needs celebrate Thanksgiving by donating a $25 gift card to the two drop boxes located by two wooden turkeys at the Clinton Police Department and Clinton Volunteer Fire Department.

To meet unprecedented food need, Families Helping Families (FHF) is asking that people donate gift cards of $25 from local grocery stores by Monday, Nov. 16. Monetary donations will also be accepted on the FHF website fhfclinton.com. The cards will then be donated to families in need as soon as they are collected. FHF Board member Paula Heser said that each festive turkey display was generously made by Willie Fritz.

FHF is hoping to collect at least 250 gift cards, but according to FHF, at press time only 50 have been donated.

FHF President Miner Vincent said that this is the fourth year FHF has been doing a program called The Full Thanksgiving Table Effort.

“This idea originated from a discussion FHF was having about what the Thanksgiving tables of the families who used The Clinton Food Pantry would look like and how we could help make sure there would be enough food on every family’s table. So, we went out shopping to see how much a Thanksgiving dinner for four would cost. What we found was that because many of the Thanksgiving items are on sale at that time of year, for $25, you could make sure you would have the basics for a holiday table,” Vincent explained.

By giving each family a $25 gift card Vincent said that each family could then purchase whatever they wanted for their individual table.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Vincent said that the Clinton Food Pantry has soon a substantial increase in the amount of people who depend on the pantry on a weekly basis.

“At one point during the height of the COVID-19 crisis the number doubled lately there has been 50 percent or more increase in the number of families needing food,” Vincent said.

Due to the large volume of need, Vincent said that the decision was made to appeal to the general public for help. Earlier this year FHF held a fall food drive that Vincent said was successful thanks to the generosity of Clinton’s citizens.

“As I said, the increase of people needing the pantry is huge and correspondingly the need for food is just as large. Non-perishable food items are always welcome and personal care items are needed also,” said Vincent.

For more information, visit fhfclinton.com.