Thanks to the support of local

churches, schools, civic groups and others, Fayette residents in need

will be provided with Thanksgiving meals.

Requests for assistance were

up in October due to a spike in unemployment, said Sharon Herbert of the

Fayette County Department of Family and Children Services. Nevertheless,

area supporters have stepped to the plate - so to speak - to

provide meals for each family and also clothing in some cases.

"I was worried we would

be short," due to the increased number of families applying for assistance,

Herbert said. But the generosity of others has helped fill the gap, she

added.

"It's been really

a nice surprise," Herbert said. "This community has been just

great."

Anyone in the giving mood for

Thanksgiving can still help out by donating gift cards to local grocery

stores and department stores, Herbert said.

"We always have last-minute

things that come up," Herbert noted, since some families experience

difficulty just before the holidays.

So far, the department has

processed 370 requests from local families for assistance over the Thanksgiving

holidays, Herbert said. The department has interviewed each family ahead

of time to determine their needs and make sure they are eligible, she

noted.

Herbert, who is the department's

community resource specialist, is assisted by volunteers during the holidays,

and more are needed with the busy Christmas holidays coming up.

To volunteer, contact Herbert

at 770-460-256

9.

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