HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — For Laura Clark social media isn’t just about connecting with friends, it’s a way to help people.

"I just put it on Facebook," Clark said, "If you knew somebody who needed help, people call and text,” the response was greater than she ever imagined.

Laura knows firsthand what it’s like to grow up with little to nothing. 

"There’s probably a ton I don’t remember," she said thinking about her childhood. "This one though I was almost driving when we lived here, I was old enough.” 

Laura grew up in Hernando County bouncing from house to house with her mother and siblings. 

“I mean she was married 11 times and some of them she went back and forth to,” she said about her mother.

Now a parent herself, she said she understands her mother's struggles when she was young — a single mother raising four kids.

“She was an operator before she had kids and then she was a waitress the rest of her life here in Spring Hill and she had to take care of four of us the best she could and that was with a man.”

The holidays weren’t the best which is why she wants to make sure others don’t experience that too. 

After gathering names through social media, Clark went shopping for local families who were struggling this year to put a Thanksgiving meal together.

Walking through Publix she told Bay News 9's Katya Guillaume, “Now I watched the sales too and saw when things were going on sale, different times of the year, certain things go on sale.”

From vegetables to turkey to deserts, she grabbed it all, getting enough food for 33 families.

She brought everything home to divide it up and then with the help of several volunteers she sorted it all out.

Laura can celebrate the holidays now herself knowing dozens of people will be receiving a full meal thanks to an idea and social media.

She said she was also donated a lot of food and gift cards to be able to make this possible and said she couldn’t have done this all without the help she received.

She was even able to put a few extra items like a box of cereal or lunch items and snacks so that the kiddos can enjoy them throughout the week.