Fort Gordon teamed up the nonprofit Operation Homefront to offer meal kits for 200 military families at the post Thursday in time for Thanksgiving.
The special guests were greeted by members of the organization, which supports military families with financial, housing and other resources. Each kit contained food items and a gift card to buy other groceries to complete the holiday meal.
Grovetown resident Toni Pritchett, whose husband is in the Army, said receiving the meal kit took away some of the burden the holiday brings.
“Sometimes your spouse isn’t there with you so simple things like preparing the meal and getting those things you need for the meal can be a little stressful,” Pritchett said. “So the fact that they were able to compile those components that we need to make that special meal during the holidays for families is awesome.”
Operation Homefront was founded in 2002 in response to the increase in deployments after 9/11. The nonprofit works on other projects at Fort Gordon but this is the first time it has held this event. It is a way to thank service members and their families, said Elizabeth Scott, area manager for Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
“I love working for Operation Homefront; it’s such a great job because I feel like I make a difference every day,” Scott said. “I feel like I’m able to give back to a community that has given me so much by simply doing their jobs.”
Volunteers also were on-hand from Food Lion, which supplied corn, green beans, desserts, French onions, stuffing, dressing and more.
The event was followed by a celebration for the families with food, music and other entertainment.
For more information, visit operationhomefront.org.
___
© 2019 The Augusta Chronicle
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
