NBC 10 Thanksgiving Telethon Raises $114,000 to Support The Salvation Army’s Thanksgiving
RHODE ISLAND – NBC 10 WJAR hosted the 10 Cares Thanksgiving Telethon to support The Salvation Army on Thursday, November 12th, which raised $114,000. Proceeds from the telethon will be used to support The Salvation Army’s Thanksgiving and year-round feeding program. The Salvation Army will hand out thousands of food baskets with all the trimmings for a perfect Thanksgiving Dinner again this year. “Honestly, I was stunned by the generosity of the community,” said WJAR-TV NBC10’s Vic Vetters, Vice President and General Manager. “We were prepared for a drop in donations because it’s been such a tough year for everybody. Instead, our viewers stepped up in a big way."
Thousands of people turn to The Salvation Army in Rhode Island, to provide for the nutritional needs of their families. This campaign helps to raise much-needed funds to meet the needs that are so prevalent. This year, the need is greater than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “In a year that our resources have been stretched beyond all reasonable limits, due to the impact of Covid-19, the people of Rhode Island have responded in a record setting way,” said Major Roger Duperree, Divisional Secretary for the Rhode Island State Command of The Salvation Army’s Southern New England Division. “NBC 10, Shaw’s Supermarkets and the other businesses and many individuals who heard our cry for help have made this year’s telethon our most successful ever. We are profoundly grateful for this overwhelming show of support.”
As The Salvation Army is preparing for the upcoming holiday season and winter months, its anticipating increased need for food. COVID-19 has severely impacted families in Rhode Island and the struggle to keep food on the table has worsened in the past seven months.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 12.4% of Rhode Islanders, over 54,200 households, are food insecure – meaning they are often unsure of where their next meal will come. Since March 14th, more than 46,000 people affected by COVID-19 have received more than 750,000 meals from The Salvation Army in Rhode Island.
Although this is targeted as a Thanksgiving food program, it helps to keep The Salvation Army’s food pantries stocked into the following year. In Rhode Island, The Salvation Army offers programs for seniors, veterans, individuals and families to address hunger throughout Rhode Island.
Additionally, The Salvation Army offers financial assistance to families in financial crisis to provide short term support, while helping individuals work toward long term self-sufficiency. Some of the assistance provided to low-income families includes food, rental assistance, clothing, funds for paying utility and heating bills, and seasonal programs. For those faced with an eviction, The Salvation Army helps with emergency rental assistance and also helps pay utility bills in order to get through an emergency crisis.
The Salvation Army serves in 130 countries around the globe and has been pursuing its mission since 1865. Last year, 3000 Holiday Food Baskets were given out which provides a Thanksgiving meal to over 14,000 people throughout Rhode Island and Fall River, Attleboro, and New Bedford, MA areas.
National & Local information on Food Insecurity
What is food insecurity – without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.
1 in 9 people struggle with hunger in the United States.
Prior to the COVID Pandemic, 10.5% of households in the US experienced food insecurity.
Through COVID, 27.5% of US households with children are food insecure – this equates to 13.9 million children. COVID has worsened the problem of food insecurity.
Households with children are 1.5x more likely to experience food insecurity that households without children.
Food insecurity leads to:
Serious health complications
Damage to a child’s ability to learn and grow
Difficult decisions for seniors – often living on fixed incomes – such as choosing between paying for food and paying for critical healthcare
In Rhode Island 1 in 9 people struggle with hunger and 1 in 6 children struggles with hunger.
People facing hunger in Rhode Island are estimated to report needing over $69M more per year to meet their food needs.
For those who need assistance: Emergency food distributions are also held at Salvation Army locations on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Please call ahead.