APPLETON, Wis.- For Sean Collins there would be no Thanksgiving without the Salvation Army.
"I'm collecting a little money, but it's just not enough to get by so the extra food share definitely helps," said Collins.
Stories like Collins' are all too common.
"Every year we have to purchase over $100,000 of food and this year we're up quite a bit because the demand has been high," said Major David Minks of the Salvation Army of Appleton.
The food collected served more than 9,000 families in the past year.
"It's like a judgment free zone, if you will, everybody here is very friendly and courteous to you," said Collins.
As the need continues to grow, the Salvation Army staff says there need does too, since everything in the pantry is there because of donations.
"When people are hungry they're just so thankful," said Major Minks.
For Collins this year he says he's especially thankful for the help.
"It inspires you to find ways to do things to give back to the community as well and it gives you a little hope too that maybe things aren't as bad as they seem," said Collins.
Neighbors thankful for neighbors as the holiday season sets in.
.
