POLK COUNTY, Fla. — It has been a hard year for many, but as the holidays are fast approaching, there is a lot to be thankful for. 

“Talbot’s renewal program changed my life,” said Helen Pileggi. “They have empowerment classes, drug and alcohol classes and a solution program; they also put me in online school. They’ve been helping in ways I couldn’t imagine to repay.”

Pileggi, among others, will join Talbot House Ministries on Thanksgiving Day for a hot meal. 

“We serve three hot meals a day, every day,” said an administrator from Talbot House Ministries. 

Talbot House Ministries in Lakeland will serve a meal to those in need at 6 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving day but many say the organization helps people in need every day. 

“They helped me get approved for my disability,” said Jamie Hopkins. “I wouldn’t have been able to do all that without Talbot house. I am thankful that they are here to help people like me.”

Kids PACK is also making an impact in Polk County. They serve meals to underserved kids in challenging communities. 

“As of next week, we are feeding 2,040 children each Friday and this is what will go home with them; it slips down into their back pack,” said Amy Royal, program manager at Kids PACK.  

The homeless population in Polk County continues to grow and while there are programs to help regulate that, Frederick Douglass said, “It’s easier to build strong children than it is to repair broken men.”

“Our philosophy is if the schools can feed their minds and we can feed their tummy, they can find a path out of poverty,” said Royal. 

Kids PACK teamed up with two charities — Blessings and Hope and One More Child — to deliver more than 2,000 pounds of ice cream to kids for the holidays.