New York – A poll conducted by Guideposts.com shows that Americans are very involved in helping others during Thanksgiving.
The top response to the question, “How will you be spending Thanksgiving?” was the 39 percent who said: “Traveling to see relatives and friends.”
Perhaps even more indicative of the state of the economy, the No. 2 answer was that 24 percent said they would “Be serving food at a shelter.”
Other responses were: 14 percent “Hosting family and friends,” 12 percent “Attending church services” and 11 percent answered “Not celebrating.”
The poll was conducted between 11/17 and 11/22 among over 3400 online respondents.
“When we see these results, showing that nearly 1 in 4 of those who took the poll are serving in shelters, it underscores the fact that many Americans take seriously the meaning and values surrounding Thanksgiving — that of gratitude and thankfulness expressed by helping and sharing with others,” according to Anne Simpkinson, online managing editor at Guideposts. “Guideposts.com. has strong, inspirational content and stories about real people whose faith-filled lives and experiences are an inspiration to all of us this holiday.”
Two of the Thanksgiving stories featured on the site highlight the strong commitment people have to helping others during the holidays. The first is “Mr. Thanksgiving” about a Moline, Illinois grocer, Bob Vogelbaugh, whose first little potluck dinner for people in need over 38 years ago has grown to serving thousands of free turkey dinners each year.
Another, “Trouble at the Melrose Diner” by Richard Kubach, is about a very special south Philadelphia, PA neighborhood institution that was threatened by a Thanksgiving Day water main flood and about who showed up to help.