Thanksgiving — a time to give thanks for all God's bounty bestowed on us. Many of us have a great number of things to be thankful for — family, friends, food on our tables, clothing, gainful employment and an occasional vacation. Though we give thanks throughout the year, Thanksgiving Day is truly a time for reflection of the blessings we receive.

Yet in these times of economic turmoil, more and more people are turning to The Salvation Army for help. And for them, Thanksgiving has little or no meaning. For those facing hardships such as loss of employment, mounting utility bills, rent, mortgage and medical bills, Thanksgiving is yet another day of struggle — not a day to give thanks. Many people, including past donors, are now without the means to purchase food for their family — let alone for a special holiday meal. But they can come to The Salvation Army for help. Food baskets are provided and often hot meals are served to commemorate the day. We are thankful because donors trust The Salvation Army to share with the needy on their behalf.

Thankfully this year, many local businesses and companies have chosen to support The Salvation Army in lieu of throwing employee holiday parties or sending gift baskets to their clients. We are very grateful for this partnership opportunity because it allows us to serve more people in need. There are also people who are choosing to make financial donations to the Army rather than giving a gift. What a fabulous way to honor a family member of friend knowing that someone will be given the gift of hope.

As we move into the Christmas season, The Salvation Army's red kettles will be seen in malls, stores and along New Jersey highway rest stops. Donations to our red kettle effort are critical to the Army's service for those less fortunate. Each year it becomes more difficult to sustain our Christmas distributions of food, clothing and toys as more and more people turn to us for help. And each year, because of your contributions, The Salvation Army is able to make Christmas bright for the needy and continue our programs and services throughout the year.

May God's many blessings be upon you and your family this holiday season. To give hope and help by making a donation, please visit www.ssalvationarmynewjersey.org.
Major Donald E. Berry
New Jersey State Commander
The Salvation Army
Union