JONAS, Pa. — People at Kinsley's ShopRite in Brodheadsville may think it's too early to start shopping for Thanksgiving dinner, but volunteers at the Valor Clinic Foundation near Jonas don't think so.
They're already collecting donations for their holiday food drive.
Mark Baylis, the founder, says this year, the number of veterans needing help is way up.
"The current economy has made more people need a little help, and our program has grown a little bit each holiday pretty much since inception," Baylis said.
The organization in Polk Township helps veterans get back on their feet.
Baylis says this year they're looking at putting together 900 holiday family meals between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
But he's concerned that higher food prices may impact how much people will donate.
"Worried about that," Baylis said. "I will tell you, the same problem that is causing us to do more families is going to be the same problem that I am concerned that maybe your donations will be down. So, we're getting on it early."
Donation bins are scattered throughout several businesses in the Poconos. The organizer said the holiday food drive wouldn't be possible without donations from the community.
"90 percent of our support comes from the people in the community having some insight into what we do and appreciation to help with it. So if we don't have the community coming out, we're not in a good place, and the ripple is that then the people we have are not in a good place," Baylis said.
Holiday meal boxes consist of both perishable and nonperishable food.
Contact the Valor Clinic at (570) 664-6468 for a list of donation bin locations.
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