Happy ThanksGIVING!!!!

ThanksGIVING has always been one of my favorite holidays…now more than ever!  When I was younger, it was about the amazing all-day feast and the parade…today it has nothing to do with MY eating at all!

Six years ago, Paul and I had a life transforming experience at a Tony Robbins event called Unleash the Power Within.  One of the MANY life changing moments for us came <!–more–> when Tony shared his experience growing up of a year when his family did not have enough money to buy Thanksgiving groceries and some strangers came to his home and gave them the gift of groceries.

When he was older, he started what is now the International Basket Brigade, which feeds over 2 million people at Thanksgiving!  That year, Paul and I started our own Basket Brigade, by feeding just two families.

That little brigade is now turned into The Philly Basket Brigade and this year we are so proud and grateful for the experience of helping to feed 225 local families for Thanksgiving this year!

This year was transformational for the Philly Basket Brigade! Not only did we feed a record number of families and exceed our rather lofty goal, but this year the Philly Basket Brigade became the “community’s brigade”.

What does that mean, “the community’s brigade”?

It means that Paul and I did NOT feed 225 families this year…that’s nearly 2,000 people fed for Thanksgiving!  I assure you, Paul and I do not have the ability to do that on our own.

In fact, we vividly remember the last year that we did the brigade on our own out of our kitchen and fed 35 families that year.  We were exhausted, sweaty, achy and it was dark out by the time the last basket went out the door!  So doing 225 as “Paul and Stacey” is not possible.

Over 100 volunteers appeared for the Brigade Event on 11/11 this year!  Nearly 200 people donated baskets!  Our partners, Shir Ami, Vertex and McCaffrey’s gave of their time and resources.  All of these combined to create The 2012 Philly Basket Brigade and make it possible to feed 225 families for Thanksgiving!

The lesson learned…we can do more together than we can ever do apart!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Paul and I are very grateful for you this year!!!!