Written By: SOS International
The holidays are commonly known as the “season of giving.” This time of year emphasizes the importance of giving gifts and serving others. While these acts hold meaning throughout the year, their impact is incredibly profound when we extend our kindness to strangers or those in need during the holidays—it shows them that they are seen and valued.
Some years, the holidays just feel different. This can be for a joyful reason, like welcoming a new child, an in-law, or a friend. Other times, the reasons for the change can be more difficult; we may find ourselves missing a family member who can’t make it home or has passed away. We notice when they aren’t there or their seat at the dinner table is now empty.
Dwayne, the founder and president of SOS, shared his thoughts: “When I think about hungry children during the holiday season, I can’t help but also think about the people gathered around my table. Both my parents died in the last two years, and gathering around the table for the holidays makes me miss them. While I can’t physically fill the seats they would’ve sat in, I can create spaces for hungry children to fill seats around tables in their honor. ”
This year, we encourage you to invite an at-risk child or two to join your holiday table. Making spaces at tables all around the world for children to receive a meal is a way for you to honor the memory of those you’ve lost and “fill” their seats.
These are children like Joseph, who is just 7 months old and already fighting for his life. Joseph was born into one of the most impoverished communities in Asia and suffers from generational malnutrition—a disease that threatens to devastate entire communities. Fortunately, this illness has a simple solution: food.
This year, saying “there’s room at my table” means making space for an at-risk child through the gift of food. We’re on a mission to raise $250,000 by the end of the year to facilitate emergency feeding in communities just like Joseph’s. For just $50, you can provide meals for five children for an entire month—that gives nourishment and hope to children who need it most!
So…Is there room at your table?
