As the holiday season approaches, many of us are looking forward to gift exchanges and delicious meals shared with friends and loved ones. But while many will gather around tables filled with food, far too many of our neighbors will be facing empty plates.

Right here in our community, nearly 220,000 people need food. Hardworking families are struggling to afford rent, gas and groceries. More than half of our children depend on free or reduced-cost school meals for the nutrition they need to learn and grow. And now, devastating federal cuts to food and health programs are deepening the crisis — hitting those who were already struggling.

From January through August of this year, visits to our food distributions have increased 22% compared to the same period in 2024 — and that number is expected to climb as the full impact of federal cuts and rising costs sets in.

At All Faiths Food Bank, we know hunger doesn’t take a holiday. That’s why our ThankFULL campaign has become one of our most important efforts of the year — ensuring families in Sarasota and DeSoto counties can celebrate the season with dignity, hope and a hearty meal.

This year, with your help, our goal is to provide 14,500 turkeys with sides and 4.1 million holiday meals through our network of hundreds of partner agencies and mobile distributions. Large-scale turkey distributions will take place throughout November, with holiday meals continuing through December.

Every year when I volunteer at our turkey distributions, I see the same expressions — relief, gratitude and pure joy. Parents tell us how thankful they are to share a meal with their children without having to worry about what’s missing from the table. I look forward to these distributions each year, knowing that the joy of the holiday season will be felt in thousands of homes in our community, thanks to the generosity of all who contribute to the ThankFULL campaign.

Hunger is often hidden. It’s your neighbor, your delivery driver, your child’s teacher. But together, we can make a difference for our neighbors experiencing hunger. I invite everyone who can to be part of the solution this holiday season. Make a gift today at allfaithsfoodbank.org/thankfull.

For more information about All Faiths Food Bank and its food distributions, visit the “Food Finder” page at allfaithsfoodbank.org.

Nelle S. Miller is the President & CEO of All Faiths Food Bank.