This coming Holiday Season will be the first that my kids and I will be going through since their Dad and I divorced). The holidays were always a huge 'family' deal for us, starting with Thanksgiving right through New Years Eve. Even though the divorce process was very amicable, as I'm sure you can imagine, it's going to be a tough for us. In an effort to 'change things up a bit' I talked with the kids about volunteering some time on Thanksgiving (2-3 hours) somewhere to help set up or serve Thanksgiving Dinner. They were hesitant at first but after talking about how fortunate we are to have the very supportive friends and family that we have, they realized how a few hours of their time could be greatly appreciated by others. Because of their ages, I've decided not to contact local soup kitchens but instead to find an American Legion Post (or similar) that will serving a Holiday Dinner to our service men and women who can't be with their families. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions, names, phone number etc. that anyone can pass on. Thanks so much for your time.
A great BIG THANK YOU to those of you who have provided some wonderful leads for me! I also greatly appreciate hearing your experiences with similar situations. It is very encouraging to hear the positive impact that it had on some of you and carried over in many ways into adulthood. Thank you again and I wish you and your families a very happy holiday season!
Greater Chicago Food Depository. They take a variety of different types and sizes of groups. No kitchen stuff involved, mostly organizing prepackaged foods for special projects under the direction of their staff. We had a group of 10, and went to the one located around 43rd and Pulaski. It was a great experience!
K., I would contact Great Lakes Naval base. You could actually adopt' a sailor or two for a holiday. I don't have all the details there, but as a mom of a sailor I am so grateful for people with your ideas. My son was sent to South Carolina a couple of years ago and a family took him in on Thanksgiving. We are still in touch and I feel it was one of God's greatest gifts to know he was cared about when I missed my son so badly. S.
you can contact Children"s Memorial or ther children's hospitals to see if they have openings. there are so many kids in the hospital at holidays, even the elderly. this way your kids can be on kind of the same level. Catholic Charities would also be a start.
What a wonderful idea, My aunt always did the same, but still would have a nice dinner for her kids so they could still celebrate their own family and thing didn't change too drasticly. They all enjoyed it. Do you live in Aurora or nearby? I have a friend who is the director of nursing at a local nursing home and some or the residents do not have family to visit. They love it when my kids come to say hello, or share dessert,bingo cards, etc... I bet they would love visitors.(try to keep the big family gatherings too... my other cousins missed out on a lot when my uncle left and 20 yrs later we are catching up on old times) Best wishes!!!!
Hi K.,
Sounds like you are a great mom! I was a divorced mom since my only child then, was 6months old. I started volunteering with "little brothers,friends of the elderly," since he was about 7or8 yrs old. We started bringing food to the elderly that were not able to make it to the dinner, they really enjoyed his innocent conversations then. As he got older, we started volunteering in the kitchen, i wanted him to actually experience cooking and serving people that needed his assistance. We still do it every year for thanksgiving and Christmas and some times Easter, he is 20yrs old now and away to college, and still makes sure i sign him up to help. He looks forward to it every year. I got married again to a wonderful man and have a 2nd child, 3yrs old, and will continue this tradition with him and i hope he loves it as much as my eldest one does. Buena Suerte!!!
I second the thought of a nursing home by you. We did that when I was younger for many years, we had our "dinner" at lunch time, went to the nursing home for the afternoon and then came home and had dessert as a big family with aunts and uncles etc..
Was always a good lesson to me to hug my Grandma extra tight when I got to spend time with her -- a lesson I still cherish 30 years later and hope to teach her great granddaughter too.
Bravo K. P,
Not sure, but I believe a local Salvation army office, may have some great ideas for you.
Blessings,
wishing you and yours great holidays.
V.
