By Susan Manning

Staff writer

While most people in the community are deciding whether to bring a pumpkin, apple or pecan pie to Thanksgiving dinner, there are quite a few who are wondering if they’ll have a Thanksgiving dinner.

Patrons of the Holliston Pantry Shelf fall into the latter category.

To help alleviate the stress on these people and their families, Holliston Newcomers & Neighbors is once again helping the Holliston Pantry Shelf and other local organizations that support the Holliston community provide gift cards to those in need. 

“Many families have depended on these gift cards to make their Thanksgiving day a special one. Last year, close to 200 families were recipients of these gift cards through the Holliston Pantry Shelf or organizations such as Head Start and Wayside Youth. We also continue to support the Holliston Senior Center in their Thanksgiving efforts,” said the Thanksgiving Drive Committee.

According to the committee, since Covid the Drive went from food baskets to gift cards. The pantry will provide a $100 gift certificate to their patrons to purchase their meal; HNN provides the other organizations and individuals with a $100 gift certificate to Market Basket. 

Holliston Newcomers & Neighbors is also collecting hand-made Thanksgiving cards, which will be distributed to the Senior Center. if anyone is so inclined, they can     contribute non-perishable food directly to the Holliston Food Pantry for use year-round.

The committee said all donations and cards should be donated by Sunday, Nov. 13, so they can be distributed to the various organizations before Thanksgiving, as well as get the cards to the Senior Center.  

HNN sends big thanks to our local church and scouting youth groups that are making cards.