Thursday many Arkansans will eat a Thanksgiving dinner donated by someone else. And considering the increased need because of the economy, churches and outreach organizations stepped up their giving in a huge way this year. In fact, some nearly doubled the amount of food they're giving in 2009.
Thanksgiving may come Thursday but they were cooking up a storm Wednesday at the
Salvation Army. Volunteer Jessie Moore said, "there's just so much need everywhere anymore with people losing their jobs and money's tight."
Major Harvey Johnson with the Salvation Army says this Thanksgiving they're preparing to feed 300 people at the Little Rock location. That's 20 percent more than last year. Many of them will be first timers who've fallen on hard times.
At the Church at Rock Creek they've given out more than 1,100 food boxes from Monday through Wednesday. That essentially doubled from last year when it was somewhere between 500 and 600. They'll keep collecting food to give to people for Christmas too. Like other groups they know their job is far from over. And they could always use more volunteers to do that job.
Those with the Salvation Army say while more people need help this year there's less money coming in from donors. Click the link to find out how you can help.
