Dear Friends of the Food Bank,

For most folks the holiday season brings a sense of joy and happiness, but for some it brings anxiety, depression, and sadness, especially for families trying to make it through financially tough times.

I look at the many blessings my family has and how food plays a centerpiece to our holidays. We enjoy turkey, ham, sometimes prime rib, but the special items are tamales, menudo, posole and bizcochitos–a Mexican crisp butter cookie, flavored with sugar, cinnamon, and anise. I would be lying if I said our feast lacked in abundance. We truly are blessed.

Blessed enough to help?

Since I have been at the Food Bank, my family and I have become increasingly aware of how blessed we truly are. As a result, we have begun to give back by participating in food drives and sponsoring families for the holidays. I even find myself “rounding up” at the registers for whatever charity that store is supporting. While we are not millionaires, it’s nice knowing that our $35 donation to sponsor a family’s holiday meal, makes a difference to at least that one family. It’s one less thing that family needs to worry about… they will have a holiday dinner with all the festive fix’ns.

Blessed enough to help?

At the Food Bank, we have been blessed to receive children’s toys throughout the year. We started saving them right after last Christmas and had quit the collection when we heard about the AJ Faith & Blue event. The Apache Junction Police Department would be collecting toys at this event to eventually make their way to the Apache Junction Salvation Army’s Christmas Angel Trees program. Every child deserves to experience the joy of Christmas morning. The Salvation Army Angel Tree program helps provide Christmas gifts for hundreds of thousands of children around the country each year. The toys we were able to donate would go to local children to open on Christmas morning.

Blessed enough to help, what does this mean?

Are you blessed with an abundance of time to volunteer? Are you blessed with a talent you can share? Are you blessed and able to contribute financially? It wouldn’t be a letter from the Executive Director if I didn’t ask you for something. I challenge you to do a self-assessment, then give when you can, not just during the holidays, but throughout the year. Give of your time, talent and financially if you can!

My final request, if you know of any family in need of food, please tell them about the Food Bank. We are here to help! We would love to bless them with food during this holiday season.

Wishing you the happiest of holidays!

With gratitude,

Erik Arriola
Executive Director
P.S. Don’t forget to remind the golfers in your life about our Golf Tournament Fundraiser!