“As we express gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

                                                                                                ~John F. Kennedy

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”

~Zig Ziglar

There is something about this season that brings on the feels.  Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends helps to remind us of all that we have to be thankful for, and the winter holidays are all about giving.  The season is steeped in tradition, togetherness, and gratitude.

I spent my Thanksgiving fixing and eating traditional Thanksgiving foods with family and friends.  The house was full of noise and laughter and energy.  There were moments of mild chaos and a few things that didn’t go exactly as planned.  Waaaaaayyyyy too much turkey was prepared, and Rebecca spent the post-dinner period trying to talk people into trying the sweet potatoes. 😊  Days like these can be exhausting.  But, I looked around and couldn’t help but feel THANKFUL for it all.  I am thankful for my family and the precious time we get to spend together.  I am thankful for my health (not something to be taken for granted, by the way), and the fact that I am still able to do the things that I enjoy like gardening and decorating for Christmas (No!  Like really.  I really enjoy that!).

I am curious… what are some of the things you are thankful for this time of year?  If we were all around a table together and said them out loud, we would likely hear some common themes… family, friends, health, co-workers that care, the provision of our basic needs like food, shelter and warmth, meaningful work that lets us touch countless lives... 

And, we would likely hear accounts of thankfulness that are born out of difficult times… thankful for another holiday with an ailing loved one … thankful for 30 days clean and sober for a child … thankful for regaining strength and resilience after the end of a relationship or the passing of a parent … thankful for the support system that held us up through our toughest times. 

At the end of my Thanksgiving Day when things were a bit calmer, I had some time for quiet reflection.  In that time, I thought of how thankful I am for all of you.  I am thankful for the energy, passion, and determination that you put into helping others day in… and day out.  I am thankful for the creative ways we find to meet the needs within our community… how even in the face of our own personal struggles, we come together around those who have some pretty desperate needs and help to get them to a better place.  I am thankful for the privilege of working for an organization that is so aligned with the core beliefs and values inside of me.  And, I am thankful to know that the work that we are doing is making a difference.

Each team member makes a difference.  Every program, every service that we provide, every referral we make, and every relationship we build leaves another person or family better than when we first encountered them.  As we approach the end of 2024, I think it is a great opportunity to reflect on the whole of the work that Community Action Committee of Pike County.

CAC received in just over $36 million in program funding.  We used this money to serve more than 34,870 clients/patients/students through our programs.  Those clients had nearly 113,000 encounters (visits) and received more than 250,000 distinct services.

In other words, our CAC team made the lives of nearly 35,000 community members better - just by doing what we do.  We helped them make ends meet by providing food for their households, and that freed-up money in their budgets to pay for gas, electric, and other necessities.  We helped them take control of their health, to learn to take better care of themselves and be more independent.  We have helped them cope with life changes and find sobriety in the midst of their struggles.  In short - we have changed lives.

I look forward to going into 2025 with this CAC team!  I would like for us to enter the new year with optimism and a spirit of continuous improvement so that we can take all of the good that we do and find ways to do it even better!  Thank you all for giving me so much to be thankful for.

With gratitude,