Volunteers make difference in Helping Hands event

[Hannibal]

By DEMI JONES/Turret Special Writer

Thanksgiving is the holiday of eating. But not everyone has the good fortune to enjoy a holiday feast, and that’s why Fort Knox held a Thanksgiving Holiday Food Drive in correlation with Helping Hands.
Helping Hands asked units and companies throughout the post to gather donations of non-perishable food for distribution to local families in need. It was one way Helping Hands “shows (its) support as a community to help Soldiers,” said program coordinator Yolande Jackson-Smalls.
The food items were available to all needy military and civilian ID card holders in the area. The items were brought to Helping Hands headquarters Nov. 19 for inspection and distribution.

“They were wonderful.” Smalls said of the donors. “The units and companies brought in thousands and thousands of cans.”

After the food reached Helping Hands, volunteers sorted and packaged it for distribution, a job that just happened to fall on National Volunteer Family Day.

“It was really great we could do this on a national day,” Smalls said.
Eighty-three families participated in activities on the 19th, along with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, who also brought food items they had collected.
Thanks to all the hard work from the volunteers, Smalls said Helping Hands really made a difference. She said she was also impressed by the spirit the volunteers showed on Volunteer Family Day, and how the families worked together as a team.

The food was distributed Nov. 21-23 from the Helping Hands food locker. Families were asked to select the food items they wanted and were given the appropriate amount based on family size. Once the food was selected, volunteers prepared boxes for the families and, in some cases such as that of a pregnant mother, volunteers carried the boxes out to the families’ cars.

It was an example of the “quality customer service Fort Knox is known for,” Smalls said.

The distribution ran from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on all three days, with volunteers working long hours. One volunteer was high school junior Craig Needham, who worked from start to finish packing and carrying boxes, even though he was not affiliated with Helping Hands.

“The community gives Helping Hands the utmost support in helping families.” Smalls said.

She said she couldn’t begin to express her gratitude for all those who contributed to the effort, and for all the assistance Helping Hands received from the community.

“It’s great to watch families helping other families,” Smalls said. “That’s why I’ve always said Fort Knox has the spirit of excellence.”