Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
This time of the year really brings me joy and it is so nice to see how happy everyone else is, too. This year has kept me busier than ever, and although this holiday I won’t be able to spend as much time with my family as I would like, I have to remember that there are others who have it worse than I do.
In the spirit of the holidays, I would really appreciate if we could not only give thanks for what we have, but also give to those who don’t have much. Below, I have listed a few organizations that I really think could use some of your love.
National Alliance For Filipino Concerns (NAFCON)
NAFCON is an organization I found out about through my best friend when Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines a few weeks ago. This cause is especially important to me because the Philippines is my family’s home country. That is where my grandparents met, where my parents grew up, that is home. Although I haven’t had the chance to visit the Philippines myself, I have heard countless stories about the people, the food, the humidity, the ocean, the markets, the jeepneys. I’ve also heard how so many Filipinos struggle just to earn a few dollars to provide for their families. There isn’t much, and the typhoon wiped out what little they did have. There are still people starving with no food or water, without homes, and without their families. The Philippines needs our help.
World Food Programme and Feeding America
As we all gather today and enjoy meals with our loved ones, it’s important to remember that there are people – including children – who are starving not only in America, but all over the world. It still boggles my mind how a country like the U.S. that has abundant resources of food still cannot provide enough to feed its people. Furthermore, world hunger continues to be a growing problem that needs to end, and needs to end now.
Rady Children’s Hospital
Rady Children’s Hospital here in San Diego is something that I found out about through the radio years ago. For 12 years, A.J. has hosted the annual A.J.’s Kids Crane toy drive to collect toys for patients at Rady’s. It’s really great to see the community come together for this cause and this year we were able to reach our goal of 100,000 toys! Working at Energy 103.7 has made me proud to be with a station that gives back.
Support Our Troops
With the holidays, it’s easy to forget that there are some people out there who aren’t able to celebrate, too. Our military works day in and day out both here in the U.S. and overseas, away from their loved ones to keep us safe. My Dad served in the Navy for 28 years and I have many friends who are currently in the military, and I could not imagine being able to cope with their sacrifices as well as they do. This website lists a number of ways you can remind our troops that we are thinking about them and thanking them for their services.
Thank you and happy holidays!
cyravelasquez 