COTTONWOOD -- As the slow economy slogs along and the unemployment rate has reached 1-in-10 Americans, many people remain without jobs here in the Verde Valley as winter sets in. That means there is little food on the table. And for some providers it means more work to feed those hungry mouths.
One of the biggest providers for those who need a helping hand locally, the Old Town Mission, has barren shelves now. The Mission hopes to fill those shelves during its annual food drive this weekend at Safeway, Fry's and Wal-Mart groceries."
"The food drive usually fills our shelves for the next four months," says Carrie Lightfoot, the Mission's Operations Director.
It is unclear if that will be the trend this year.
"We definitely have more people this year. The number has more than tripled and we expect a higher number for the holidays. We don't even know how to guess how much we will need for the annual meal pack and all the fixings."
Mission volunteers annually staff donation tables at the three Verde Valley grocery stores in hopes that shoppers who are preparing for the holidays will remember those who have fewer means.
"We went into last year's drive very apprehensively, but the community was amazing. They really stepped up. And the schools did a phenomenal job."
Many school classes annually conduct their own drives for canned goods within their schools to benefit the Old Town Mission, bringing in thousands of items.
"We know it will be hard to get the 300 to 500 turkeys needed for the dinner luncheon. We have already had 400 people register and expect about 700 to 800 by the day of the meal."
Planning is extensive for the Mission's goals.
The Mission will distribute the annual Thanksgiving Turkey and Trimmings bags to families who have registered on Monday Nov. 23.
The annual Thanksgiving Holiday Luncheon will be served to Mission clients Wednesday, Nov. 25, at noon. The delicious traditional Thanksgiving dinner is offered free to anyone.
But it all begins with this weekend's food drive at the three grocery stores. All the events take lots of volunteers. Carrie says the Mission has a volunteer roster of about 300 people.
"It takes the entire community to pull this off. We are just the vehicle, the pipe. This community has the compassion and the caring. We don't manufacture it. We are just the vehicle."
"We start by the end of July. In September, we connect with the stores, talk to the schools, focus on volunteers."
Carrie admits that the Mission was very worried that the grocery strike at Safeway and Frys would frustrate the food drive this weekend, "We do not have a political position, but we will not put people in those positions. It is intimidating."
For volunteers, it is a good time to give back and there is no better time than during the holidays to help those in need.
To donate, the Mission needs turkeys or canned goods. Remember, Old Town Mission volunteers will take donations at Safeway, Frys and Wal-Mart grocery stores Friday (Nov 20) and Saturday (Nov 21) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
A shopping list is available at each of the stores and on line at www.oldtownmission.org.
