Less than two days before the first of about 100 Juneau families are set to pick up their Thanksgiving Day dinner boxes from the Glory Hole, Executive Director Mariya S. Lovishchuk said Monday that she is “kind of freaking out” over the shelter’s shortage of food for the boxes.
According to Lovishchuk, the Glory Hole is down to just five turkeys — perhaps fewer — and has little else to provide for needy families that have signed up to receive Thanksgiving boxes. She is asking the community for help.
“Usually … most of the stuff that goes into Thanksgiving boxes comes from the community, and this year, we just are super-short on turkeys,” Lovishchuk said. “We don’t have any canned vegetables, no canned beans, no canned corn. We don’t have any mashed potatoes. We have no butter. We have no pies. And so if the community of Juneau wants to look for a way to help somebody during this Thanksgiving holiday time, bringing in these items would be really, really wonderful, or sending us a check so we can buy those items.”
People can drop off food at the Glory Hole, which is located on South Franklin Street, between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m., Lovishchuk said. They can also drop off or mail in checks for Glory Hole staff to use to purchase food.
Lovishchuk said that while worrying about the amount of food that the shelter has for its Thanksgiving boxes has become something of an annual experience for her, donations have always materialized by now.
“Every year, kind of like a couple weeks out, I get really nervous,” Lovishchuk admitted. “Usually, everything magically appears right before it has to appear. But it’s never been this close.”
At the Salvation Army as well, Lt. Kim Warriner said donations this season have been slow.
“This time last year, we had 20-some turkeys, and this year, we have zero at this time,” said Warriner. “But I’m pretty sure that everyone is going to step up to the plate.”
The Salvation Army relies on donations and support from individuals and local businesses for its Thanksgiving Day community dinner, held at the downtown hangar.
“We need 50 turkeys at least for our dinner, and we haven’t received any yet,” Capt. Donald Warriner said. He added, “Last year, we served almost 500 people. So I presume this year is going to be just as high, if not higher.”
Neither of the Warriners seemed too concerned, with Donald Warriner saying that he expects turkey donations to start coming in faster once he takes to the radio next week to spread the word about the Salvation Army’s need. They speculated that the Gastineau Apartments fire, which displaced about 50 building residents (http://bit.ly/TWI0nN), may have drawn the spotlight away from the upcoming holiday.
“With the Gastineau Apartments fire, we’ve been flooded with food,” said Kim Warriner. It has not been Thanksgiving food, though, she said, “but more of the canned food, nonperishables, that sort of thing.”
Even though the Glory Hole is short on Thanksgiving food right now, Lovishchuk said families in need can still sign up to receive a Thanksgiving box. Wednesday, when the first 30 families are expected to pick up their boxes, is the last day they can sign up.
Next month, when the Glory Hole does its Christmas boxes, it will be working with the Salvation Army, Lovishchuk added.
“We are partnering to do Christmas boxes together,” Lovishchuk said. “That’s kind of a measure we’re taking to kind of deal with this shortage of food that seems to be going around.”
The Glory Hole is currently holding a fundraiser for a separate cause.
“We are in the middle of a big weatherization project. We are getting new siding, more insulation, an electric boiler, new windows and new doors,” said Lovishchuk. During the course of the project, she continued, “We found a lot of rot in our building.”
In order to pay for the rot treatment, the Glory Hole is selling bags of tamales made by local Mexican restaurants El Sombrero, El Zarape and Olivia’s de Mexico.
“We’re hoping to raise $10,000,” Lovishchuk said. “That’s probably what it’s going to end up being.”
Tamales will be available for pickup starting next Monday.
But Lovishchuk said the Glory Hole’s Thanksgiving box recipients want turkeys, not tamales.
“We can’t give them tamales, because we have to pay for the rot in the building,” said Lovishchuk.
• Contact reporter Mark D. Miller at 523-2279 or at mark.d.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (34)
Add commentJust the beginning! Obama's
Just the beginning! Obama's economic plan is starting to show up already!
double post
Im sure Obama caused it too...
kpawsuh
Assuming there is more than a quick jab in that comment, what do you mean by the statement? Are you condeming the Glory Hole providing food to individuals/familes or are you discussing the lack of donations as being a result of some political agenda?
Thanks for the clarificaiton.
I mean he is destroying the
I mean he is destroying the economy. More people hurting than there have been in a long time. They should plan on fewer and fewer donations. Its getting ugly out there.
Sorry. I can no longer drink
Sorry. I can no longer drink the kool aid. It was a luxury I could no longer afford and it had to go...
Come on kpawsuh & rainak
I know the country is split in half: for and against Obama. However, you two are clouding up what this article is about.
Let's talk about how everyone should go down and buy a turkey and take it to the Glory Hole. Please. I promise to go buy one; can you do the same? The reason why 100 families cannot afford Thanksgiving dinner is debatable; but this is our community and they need our help. I am not rich, but I am going to go and buy some of the things they need. There are 30,000 of us in Juneau, a little bit from each of us is all it takes.
In every article it turns into a political melee; can everyone please not do that in this article from this point on? Thank you.
Fines
"The Glory Hole Executive Director Mariya Lovishchuk fines only two frozen turkeys after a search of the shelter's freezer on Monday."
Why didn't the others get fined? And why these two? Loitering?
Agree Paul
I agree Paul, please don't lump me in with kpawsuh, I truely wanted clarificaiton on his/her statement. I thought for a moment he/she was going to blast the charitable organization of the Glory Hole, and I wanted to combat that ignorance.
MikeyToo
I am sure they ran afoul in some way :-).
Paul, I think it is totally
Paul, I think it is totally germain to the discussion. people cant afford to donate. They are pulling their wings in and taking care of their own families. I have donated in the past. I wont be this year. I have even done the little christmas tree thing in the mall where the broke kids ask for toys that my kids dont even have...
kpawsuh
Sorry that you are having a tought time of it kpawsuh. I hope things turn around for you as well as many others. I think you should possibly be more supportive of the efforts of the Glory Hole as you can probably appreciate their efforts and the predicament they are in. While I agree the economic discussion is important, perhaps this thread is best left togetting out the message of need. I'm sure there will be other more related topics in the near future.
Happy holidays.
Tough Year
I too usually donate, and I've donated a lot this year to the SE AK Foodbank, that is my charity of choice. I will most likely not be able to donate to the Glory Hole, but I believe the foodbank does help them out.
The SE AK Foodbank is having a food drive this Friday at the new Foodland IGA, and hopefully that will be convenient for people to drop off items and in turn will be able to help many families as well as the Glory Hole!
God Bless our community during this tough time, unfortunately I think it will get worse before it gets better.
@kpawsuh & rainak & whoever
I didn't mean anything by it, I just don't want people to get focused on politics on this article; and I realize that you (rainak) were only asking for clarification. And kpawsuh, I know that the actions of our Nation's leader affect us all, and that this can be attributed, at least in part, to that fact; I do not dispute your opinion. This is the only time I have tried to get people to drop the politics for an article, but not because politics are not important, I just thought that on this one, people should be focused on doing what they can. I just didn't want everyone reading this article to then read below in the comments, get caught up in the debate, and forget that families in our community need us right now. I do apologize for any ill effects my request may have caused.
I know times are tough, I don't have much either. I understand that it will be tough for people to donate this year. The Glory Hole even needs little things like butter, so if anyone can give a little do so; it might make some family have a good family dinner on Thanksgiving. If you are not in a position to give, then there is no reason to feel bad; and I am not suggesting that anyone is. I wish I could give more, but I am going to scrape together some funds and try and give as much as I can. Thank you, and I hope you all have a good holiday next week, I truly do.
Rainak, things are going ok,
Rainak, things are going ok, just certainly not where they have been in the past. I have had multiple turkies that I give to families I know that are in need. This year will be one family and I will probably have them over and we'll share one turkey. There is definitely less to go around at the global level, national level and suprisingly even the local level. Juneau and Alaska generally tend to be isolated from the strife of the lower 48, but it seems to finally be creeping in.
With the rest....
Been slammed with medical and one income. All of my older kids have decided they don't want presents this year so the little ones can have the Santa experience (you know where you go to bed with nearly nothing and wake up with over flowing toys) It's not that my heart doesn't want to give but it's just not in the bank right now. I will however be buying gifts for the tags on the trees but only if we get a break from trips to Seattle in the next month.
It's just a hard year, even more for people without ins and those already helping friends & family due to the recent fires.
I have older kids on their own that barely make it and they have jobs. One I have to get to Seattle for cancer treatments.
Paul (and for the record I voted for you) I think it's great you can help but I have to agree with the rest not all of us can, even when we use to. I will however be feeding roughly 15+ people at my house on my dime if that counts for anything.
On a side note the Glory Hole isn't the only place that gives & needs food for the holidays. Maybe all the places should compile their resources this year.
In my household things have
In my household things have been tight for years, its a common theme. But I am thankful to live in a community that has allowed me to be gainfully employed and I will not let politics or any elections stop me from donating locally. I'll be dropping off some donations to the Glory Hole and the Salvation Army today and I encourage others to do so even if its a small one.
Happy Holidays Juneau!
Paul
Thank you for seeing the need and recognizing you can help meet it. We are a society of hoarders, no matter how much we amass it is not enough. The funny thing is giving away our hoard will fill that need more than all our "things" ever did. If you really cannot spring for a box of stuffing or can of corn. What about your old coat or the sleeping bag you haven't used in years? Those spare blankets, leftover from the last time you updated your bedding or decor? What about that camping gear you haven't touched in years? Wouldn't cost you a thing.
AK_MOM
A turkey will be donated in your name adorned with a pink ribbon.
Happy Holidays!
@AK Style
Thank You :)
Just wondering...
Why if 1 out of every 6 people in the US is on food stamps do we even need the donated Turkey dinner? Those on food stamps can eat better than the rest of us fools that actually work for money to buy food.
@Tikitime
I was thinking of the same thing.
Guess
My guess is that a few of the individuals that avail themselves of the turkey dinner may not be using the foodstamp system.
While I agree in general, thanksgiving or christmas is not the time to fight that battle. Too many people may be injuried (figuratively). Fight the fight in the off season and try to make a positive change, but still hope for the best and plan for the worst.
@AK MOM
I appreciated yours and everyone else's support in October; it was touching that so many believed in me and what I was trying to do for Juneau.
I think feeding 15+ people is more than I can do (and hopefully you do not feel like I am judging anyone); I am going to have to go without some things to help the Glory Hole out. And I do not suggest that everyone should do that; my wife and I do not have children to worry about, so it is not so scary scraping by. I hope that those with a little spare change laying around have the heart to share; I fully understand why people are not able to do so, as I used to never be able to afford to do such things. I would do things for people, but they never involved money.
I like your idea about the different organizations that gather and distribute food to pull their resources and distribute together. I hope someone from one of these groups reads your idea and runs with it. That would be much more efficient, one drop zone, less staff needed (maybe), and less waste. I like the way you think; even if we disagreed about the prison greenhouse ;) Take care, and happy holidays to you and your plus 15.
Thank the people who voted in
Thank the people who voted in the worse administration again..
The following is from an article in Nov 12 issue of JE
about Lemon Creek Correctional Center getting a new green house built (donated by the Rotary club) for the prisoners. One blogger made a comment about how this money would have been better spent in our community instead of the prison and another blogger responded to that with the following comment:
"A one time amount of $13,000 would not do much for the community as a whole, but I understand where you are coming from on that. Can't argue."
I'm sure that $13,000.00 the Rotary club donated to prisoners for a greenhouse so they can eat fresh fruit and veggies would have gone a looooong way to helping many families have a Thanksgiving dinner and beyond! I find it disgusting that prisoners, as punishment, are provided a free greenhouse so they can eat healthy, while law abiding citizens are literally starving in our community.
Since most low income folk's
Since most low income folk's voted to retain their "Dear Leader", & his war on liberty. Let them go, & beg him for dinner.
@ForReal
I was the one that made that comment, and what I meant is that $13,000 would be spread pretty thin across our community of 30,000. While I understand your passion, and cannot argue with your logic, I still do not believe the greenhouse was a terrible idea. Plus, I am not part of the Rotary, so I don't think it is for me to say what they raise money for. They are a good organization and they do a lot for the community, so if they want to also do something nice for community members behind bars, then that is their prerogative.
Criminals or not, we cannot lock them in a cage and feed them rotten vegetables, right? The money to pay for their food does not materialize, so that could be a money saver. I am all for paying less to keep them behind bars, and it sounds like you are too.
And $13,000 wouldn't feed more than a couple of families for a year. Don't get me wrong, that would be wonderful, but who gets chosen?
I wish it were as simple as you suggest, I truly do; we would live in a wonderful world. However, all we can do is look under the couch cushions, and go buy these poor folks some Thanksgiving dinner. Most of us cannot afford to buy other people meals on a regular basis, but we can try and make their holidays a little bit cheerier. Happy Holidays, friend.
@ForReal
After rereading your post I see you were only suggesting the $13,000 pay for Thanksgiving for these families, not feed them for a year. So please ignore that portion of my reply. You are right it would go a long way for a Thanksgiving (or two).
Even though we may disagree about the LLCC greenhouse, I am going to donate to the Glory Hole; so please do not think I am against the hungry getting money; it is only that I can only decide what my money goes to, not the Rotary's. I defended the greenhouse because I didn't want people to get the wrong idea about the Rotary, because they do a lot of good in regards to education, which is very important; as well as, many other things throughout the community. I would suggest that you consider joining their ranks, because it is obvious that you care about people.
Every year I feed several
Every year I feed several people in addition to my own family. This is what my mother always did, and Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same for me otherwise. I usually drop off as much as I can afford to at the Glory Hole, too. And, frankly, I'm still doing well enough to do so again this year. Ak Mom - don't feel bad that you can't do as much this year as in years past, you are doing what you can and no one could find fault in that.
I agree JNUKara
If people can give, give. If people cannot afford to give, then there is nothing wrong with that. Giving to large amounts of family is the same as giving to strangers. Giving is giving. It takes heart, and it seems our community is full of heart from what I have seen.