I am always overwhelmed by harvest time.  We are so blessed to have so much food.  Here on our farm we have beef, milk, apples, pumpkin, peppers, cucumber, rhubarb. All with very little effort.  With this season I get canning. This year I have canned apple pie filling, salsa, jam and green tomato salsa.  Our freezer is full of homemade soups and frozen veggies and fruits.  I love doing it. I look forward to thanksgiving and I have my menu planned.  With all of the food and sewing I have been doing I really get choked up when I think that others may not have half of what I have.  Not just food either but health and a beautiful family to share love with.  There are some lonely people very close to home.  There are people cold and hungry.  Many in my church and community who are sick.
It is easy to be thankful but is it the same to be aware? I was given fabric from a friend who makes quilts.  It was a generous amount and I have been sewing up baby quilts for the local quilt guild that donates quilts to veterans, Interval house, Fire hall and who ever else in the community is in need.  I also passed on flannel from this friend to someone who makes kids flannel quilts to be sent to Africa thru a local missionary.  They also send used sheets, towels and bars of soap. She has started making some flannel quilts for northern Canada kids with bad housing through a priest stationed up there. 
There is so many ways to be a help to someone else.  A neighbour meantioned to me that she was looking to get more involved since she was new to the area.  When I told her all about the quilter groups she became excited to help.  These examples take time but sometimes just a smile and kindness are enough to help a new mom on a bad day. 
Our houses are packed with extra things.  We all have more sheets then we need or toys for example.  When it is time to clean out do you really think about who could use those items?  We have recieved so many hand me downs and not just clothes but toys and even furniture.  Our family is happy to get them.  We do not need to have the best. 
Gifts are awesome.  I love to give gifts but I do feel my kids recieve more than they will ever appreiciate.  I would rather spend 5 dollars on someone elses kids then on my own.  Maybe that isn't an appropriate thing to say but I feel so much love for my kids.  Others may not recieve the same love and attention at home.  What if a new coloring book shows another child that they are loved and someone cares. 
At Christmas I support the Interval House for the kids gift program that they run.  Kids that come thru the Interval house really start from scratch.  Their parent maybe an example of the working poor. There is no governement funding for kids at christmas that come thru the Interval house.  This is a program run by the staff.  They asks the kids what they want from Santa and from my experiance they want lego, books, crayons..... really, I don't think those things are to much to ask.  The Interval house gets gifts for kids up to age 18. At age 16 and up they are really on there own. Basically if they have come thru the Interval house they really have no one to give them gifts at Christmas.
Old navy has a sale right before Christmas. Hoodies for $5.  The last 2 years I have gotten sweaters for kids at Interval house.  I have asked others who would like to donate for 5$ as well.  Come on...$5. I will be collecting money for hoodies again this year.   How about you pack a lunch one day instead of buying one and get a kid a warm sweater.
Any donations for sewing material, clothes, toys, sheets, towels or soap I will also be collecting for these organizations.