A Grateful Gathering: Helping our Local Foster Care System this Season of Gratitude

As many prepare to gather around Thanksgiving tables with friends and family, we have a simple opportunity for you to help our non-profit organization, Worthdays. This year, why not turn your Thanksgiving dinner into an opportunity to give back to those we serve? At Worthdays, we've found a simple yet impactful way, The Grateful Gathering, to make a difference in the lives of kids in our local foster care system, and we invite you to join us. We often find that while not everyone can sponsor a child for our holiday program or make a large financial donation, yet they feel fulfilled and engaged when invited to contribute in some way. This year, we're encouraging you to be an ambassador for Worthdays by spreading the word to everyone sharing the Thanksgiving table with you this year to bring a gift card to contribute to our program if they are able.

How it Works:

By inviting your guests to bring a gift card, you're not only adding a thoughtful touch to your Thanksgiving celebration but also making a meaningful impact on the lives of kids in our local child welfare system. These gift cards can be used to fulfill specific needs, ensuring that each child receives something tailored to their preferences and necessities.

Here's how you can seamlessly incorporate this into your Thanksgiving plans:

  1. Spread the Word: Share the idea with your guests ahead of time. Let them know about the opportunity to bring a gift card, and explain how it will directly benefit kids in foster care.

  2. Include it in Invitations: Mention the gift card initiative in your Thanksgiving invitations or group messages. Emphasize that every contribution, no matter the amount, makes a difference. (It is super helpful when the amount of the gift card is clearly indicated)

  3. Provide Suggestions: Offer suggestions for the types of gift cards that would be most useful, such as those for local grocery stores, clothing stores, or popular “big box stores” that are easily accessible to the kids we serve.

  4. Create a Collection Point: Set up a designated area at your Thanksgiving gathering where guests can drop off their gift cards. This adds a visual reminder and makes the process easy and organized.

The Impact:

Your simple act of kindness can go a long way in brightening the holiday season for kids in foster care. Gift cards not only help us fulfill the requests we receive from local Department of Social Service’s serving kids in foster care and those experiencing family emergencies but they allow kids to learn independent living skills such as budgeting.

If you participate in The Grateful Gathering this year, we would love for you to take a picture of your group and share on social media using the hashtag #worthdaysgratefulgathering and tagging our organization @worthdays. Please contact caroline@worthdays.org to arrange delivery of gift cards to our organization (which can take place at any of these drop off locations).

We encourage you to learn more about our organization by visiting our website, Facebook and Instagram pages. You can read about ways our organization impacts our community here, here and here.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by emailing caroline@worthdays.org

Caroline Neal