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Community steps forward to provide holiday dinners for needy By JOHN MUNFORD Thanks to the support of local churches, schools, civic groups and others, Fayette residents in need will be provided with Thanksgiving meals. Requests for assistance were up in October due to a spike in unemployment, said Sharon Herbert of the Fayette County Department of Family and Children Services. Nevertheless, area supporters have stepped to the plate — so to speak — to provide meals for each family and also clothing in some cases. “I was worried we would be short,” due to the increased number of families applying for assistance, Herbert said. But the generosity of others has helped fill the gap, she added. “It’s been really a nice surprise,” Herbert said. “This community has been just great.” Anyone in the giving mood for Thanksgiving can still help out by donating gift cards to local grocery stores and department stores, Herbert said. “We always have last-minute things that come up,” Herbert noted, since some families experience difficulty just before the holidays. So far, the department has processed 370 requests from local families for assistance over the Thanksgiving holidays, Herbert said. The department has interviewed each family ahead of time to determine their needs and make sure they are eligible, she noted. Herbert, who is the department’s community resource specialist, is assisted by volunteers during the holidays, and more are needed with the busy Christmas holidays coming up. To volunteer, contact Herbert at 770-460-256 9.
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