With Thanksgiving around the corner, it is time to turn our attention once again to the blessings the Lord has provided for each of us. At this time, we take stock of our lives and consider all for that which we are thankful. As we do this again this year, it is important to remember those in our area that are not as fortunate.

Deuteronomy 15:11 “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.” (NIV)

November is the Month of Abundance here at St. David’s. Each Sunday during the month, we collect nonperishable food items and present them at the altar. At the end of the month, all proceeds are donated to Loudoun Interfaith Relief. Our donations enable Loudoun Interfaith Relief to provide assistance and sustenance to hundreds of families in need in Loudoun County

Loudoun Interfaith Relief, Inc. is a food pantry that provides emergency groceries to families with an economic need who do not have enough to eat. They provide a well-balanced, nutritious supply of food to prepare three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for three days for any size family.

In 2008, LIR served more than 14,000 families, made up of more than 50,000 individuals. That equated to over 500,000 healthy, well-balanced meals delivered - an increase of more than 43% from the previous year. That trend is expected to continue with unemployment up again in 2009 (4.8% in July 2009 that is up 1.9% from 2008). Current economic conditions make it very likely that even more families will need assistance as the year closes. LIR is anticipating an increase of 60 - 70% over 2008 numbers.

LIR is proud of their record of service. They strive to make the application process as easy as it can be, so that anyone in need can easily get food. No one is left without a supply of food to feed their families. This is important because as Executive Director Bonnie Inman states, “the person in need of our services today is different than past years. These are people who have lost their jobs and exhausted their savings. It could be anyone". It could be you.

We encourage parishioners to look into their hearts as they look into their cabinets. Take time to bring a bag of food to church each week. For those that find this difficult, a check made out to Interfaith Relief, or a grocery store gift card are also appreciated and indeed needed to purchase the necessary perishable goods which cannot be collected.

To learn more about Loudoun Interfaith Relief visit www.interfaithrelief.org.