Most college students are looking forward to heading home for Thanksgiving break, when they’ll spend time with their families and, most likely, feast on a delicious meal of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.

Campus Ministry’s annual Adopt-a-Family food drive reminds us that more close to 2,000 families in NEPA are unsure that they will be able to have that same feast we all look forward to enjoying each November.

The Thanksgiving Adopt-a-Family program is run through the United Neighborhood Centers, who receive requests for food baskets from about 1,800 families, Sr. John Michele Southwick, IHM, assistant director of Campus Ministry, said.

“[Thanksgiving Adopt-a-Family] is important because it raises awareness … that there are people out there who need food,” Sr. John said.

For those who wish to help,Campus Ministry needs volunteers who can both pack food baskets and deliver baskets on November 19.

“I think there’s a great value for students to go out and deliver the baskets because they actually meet the people who are in need, which gives them a whole different perspective of poverty, so they learn from the experience as well as feeling good about themselves,” Sr. John said.

For those who cannot help stuff and deliver baskets, there is the option of sponsoring a basket through a $45 donation.

Leandra Morris, a senior arts administration major and Maxis-Gillet scholar, has now been on both sides of the equation–volunteering last year and now helping to organize the program this year. Morris is encouraging students and clubs to sponsor baskets.

“We’re hoping for a lot of sponsors this year. I’ve actually received calls from two or three that are sponsoring three baskets each, which is great,” Morris said.

For those who aren’t able to sponsor a basket, Morris recommended going to volunteer on the day of delivery.

“It’s just an amazing thing because you also see how much your community needs you, and it’s not like you have to travel millions of miles to help someone out,” Morris said.

To volunteer to help stuff or deliver baskets on November 19, contact Campus Ministry at [email protected].