you know, i just sent this out as a mass email to my closest friends and family, and then i thought i might as well make it a blog post too. can't hurt. sorry if you've, because of this, now seen it twice. :)
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I was reading this today and got to thinking:

A few of us and our families have been here before; some of us thankfully never will have to.
Sadly, with the economy in the state it is, it's not looking much better for a while.

A lot of people associate food pantries and homeless shelters with large cities. That's definitely not the case. Even here in rural New Hampshire the lines are long at the food banks, and many are still out on the streets at night even in the sub-freezing wind chills. I believe we need to work to break this conception and provide support to local shelters, food pantries and community organizations, because if those of us that can don't, nobody will.

So, if it's possible, please do your part this holiday (and all the time, if you can) and donate what you can - or your time - to a local food pantry or homeless shelter. It's easy to find them - just google your town/city's name and "food pantry" or "homeless shelter". There's also Toys for Tots, the Salvation Army, and many other reputable organizations that you can give to. You could make a really big difference for someone, even if it's just a few cans of food or a few dollars for some toys for a child.

As hard off as we may think we have it these days, there's always someone that has it much, much worse. And if you soon find yourself in the position that these people are in, don't be ashamed - that's what the help's there for.

<3