By Kenny Roy
In the heart of Grant Park, we celebrated Thanksgiving 2023 with the inaugural Blessing Basket event, a heartfelt initiative aimed at supporting our local Parkside Elementary School. Taking place on November 14 and 15, our tight-knit community came together to ensure that families facing food insecurity could savor a hearty Thanksgiving meal.
I’m Kenny Roy, a local neighborhood Realtor and a proud resident of Grant Park since 2005. I spearheaded this event with a dual purpose – to give back to the community I hold dear and to support a budding local business. With a vision of creating a meaningful impact, I reached out to Mixins Rolled Ice Cream on Boulevard and shared the Blessing Basket concept with Principal Tim Foster of Parkside Elementary School. Both establishments warmly embraced the idea.
Our primary goal was to provide Thanksgiving meals for families in need during the holiday season. Blessing Baskets, filled with essential items, were meticulously curated to ensure each basket could offer a complete Thanksgiving meal for a family. This gesture underscored our community’s commitment to fostering a sense of togetherness and support during the festive season.
Leveraging my connections within the community and the real estate industry, I enlisted the support of RPM Home Advisors, powered by Keller Williams Atlanta Midtown, along with friends, family, and members of the Pickleball and Grant Park communities. Our combined efforts not only met but exceeded our initial goal of 25 Blessing Baskets. In total, we collected 50 baskets, a testament to the community’s generosity and willingness to make a difference.
Our collaborative effort involved a strategic marketing campaign that reached out to the community, RPM Home Advisors, and Keller Williams Atlanta Midtown, generating widespread awareness and participation. The two-day event saw neighbors dropping off their Blessing Baskets at Mixins Ice Cream, the chosen venue for this heartening initiative.
Mixins Rolled Ice Cream played a pivotal role, offering a unique incentive. Every contributor received a discount coupon for an ice cream purchase, either on the day of the drop-off or at a future date. This added a delightful touch to the event while simultaneously supporting a local business that had graciously opened its doors for the cause.
As each Blessing Basket found its way to Parkside Elementary School, it carried not only the promise of a Thanksgiving meal but also the collective goodwill of the Grant Park community. The success of the Blessing Basket event reflects the power of a community united in purpose, showcasing the impact that can be achieved when individuals come together to support a shared cause.
In conclusion, Grant Park’s First Annual Blessing Basket event was more than a charitable act; it was a celebration of community, compassion, and the true spirit of Thanksgiving. The 50 Blessing Baskets symbolized not just meals but a shared commitment to making the holiday season brighter for those in need.
