PD Editorial: Making sure everyone has a holiday meal

In six days, most of us will sit down with our families and perhaps some friends for a Thanksgiving feast.

We wish it was a prosperous time for everyone, but we know it isn't. The economy is strong, but too many are homeless. And many more must devote so much income to rent or a house payment that they skimp on other necessities, even food.

The most recent Sonoma County Hunger Index report, released Monday, found that 13 million meals were missed in 60,000 at-risk households in 2017 because they couldn't afford enough groceries for three healthy meals a day.

The annual report is compiled by a coalition of public agencies and charity groups, many of which provide hot meals or groceries for people in need.

If you want to help others put food on their tables, here are some organizations in Sonoma County that provide holiday meals, groceries and other assistance for people in need:

- The Redwood Gospel Mission will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds on Wednesday. Then it will gear up to do it again at Christmas. Donate or download a shopping list online at srmission.org, or call 578-1830.

- The St. Vincent de Paul Society provides a holiday meal from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, as well as regular daily lunches, at 610 Wilson St., Santa Rosa. To donate, go to svdp-sonoma.org, or call 584-1579.

- Sonoma Raceway is collecting nonperishable food for distribution through Friends in Sonoma Helping (friendsinsonomahelping.org) and the Redwood Empire Food Bank. Donate through Monday at the raceway, Sonoma Market, Glen Ellen Village Market, the Schell-Vista Fire Station, the Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue Authority and RKA Motorcycle Luggage in Windsor.

- The Redwood Empire Food Bank manages 12 hunger-relief programs and supplies 170 agencies around the region, including soup kitchens and food pantries. Donate online at refb.org, send contributions to 3990 Brickway Blvd., Santa Rosa 95403, or call 523-7900.

- Friends in Service Here, or FISH of Santa Rosa, is an all-volunteer food bank that provides free groceries. Donate at fish-of-santa-rosa.org, 2900 McBride Lane, Santa Rosa 95403, or call 527-5151.

- Catholic Charities distributes food through its rural food program, which serves communities away from pantries and food banks. Donate online at srcharities.org, or call 528-8712.

- The Salvation Army distributes food to needy families. Donate online at santarosa.salvationarmy.org or at 93 Stony Circle, Santa Rosa 95401.

- The Committee on the Shelterless, better known as COTS, provides shelter, transitional housing, training and meals and distributes food. Donate online or see volunteer opportunities at cots-homeless.org, or send a donation to COTS at P.O. Box 2744, Petaluma 94953.

- Food for Thought, a Forestville-based food pantry, serves people living with HIV as well as other serious illnesses at 6550 Railroad Ave., Forestville. Donate online at fftfoodbank.org, or call 887-1647.

- The Council on Aging operates a meals-on-wheels program for senior citizens and provides social, financial and legal services. Volunteer or donate at councilonaging.com. Send donations to 30 Kawana Springs Road, Santa Rosa 95404, or call 525-0143.

- Petaluma People Services Center assists with housing and job training and serves meals through its Meals on Wheels and cafe programs. Send donations to petalumapeople.org, 1500A Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma 94952, or call 765-8488.

Our list is a small sample of organizations offering a helping hand in our community. If you want to draw attention to one that we didn't mention, please post a comment.

You can send a letter to the editor at letters@pressdemocrat.com