Give Thanks By Giving Back Through Two Local Holiday Programs

A grocery gift card, a Thanksgiving dinner box or a few hours spent volunteering can help a local family celebrate the season. This Thanksgiving, local nonprofits SPAN and Sunflowers for Sallie are inviting residents, businesses and community groups to help put holiday meals on their neighbors’ tables.

SPAN, short for Serving People Across Neighborhoods, has helped local families navigate food shortages and financial emergencies since 1990. Its primary service area includes Severna Park, Arnold, Millersville and the Broadneck Peninsula.

Through its Holiday Caring program, SPAN is seeking additional sponsors to provide Thanksgiving grocery gift cards or assemble dinner boxes. Donors can contribute a $75 grocery gift card in place of a box; smaller denominations of $25 or $50 are also welcome. Giant and Visa gifts cards are preferred for Thanksgiving donations.
Those who enjoy gathering supplies can assemble a dinner box, along with a $25 grocery gift card for meat and perishables. Email spanhelps@yahoo.com for the complete guidelines before shopping.

Dinner boxes should include:
• Grocery gift card for $25
• Stuffing (1)
• Turkey gravy (2 10.5-ounce cans or 3 packs of gravy mix)
• Green beans (3 14.5-ounce cans)
• Condensed cream of mushroom soup (1 can)
• French fried onions (1 6-oz. container)
• 4-5 pound bag of russet potatoes or a 13.75 ounce box of mashed potatoes
• Canned yams (2 40-ounce cans)
• Mini marshmallows (1 small bag)
• Brown sugar (1 bag)
• Cranberry sauce (1 can or jar)
• Biscuit or bread mix (1 package or box)
• Pumpkin or apple pie filling (1 container)
• Evaporated milk (1 can; only for pumpkin pie)

Dinner box drop-off is Monday, November 16, from 12:30-3 p.m. at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, located at 400 Benfield Road in Severna Park. Thanksgiving gift cards are needed before November 17.

Sunflowers for Sallie has set its largest Thanksgiving goal yet: providing 500 Baskets of Hope in 2026. The Millersville-based nonprofit works with schools, churches and other organizations to help address food insecurity and bring families together over a meal.

Community members can support the effort financially or volunteer to assemble and distribute baskets on Saturday, November 21, at 10 a.m. at North County High School. To volunteer, email sunflowersforsallie@gmail.com.

Financial gifts can be made through www.sunflowersforsallie.org. Churches, businesses and community groups can also help by organizing volunteers, encouraging donations, and sharing the effort with others.