Thanksgiving basket donations welcomed

MONTROSE  — As the holiday season grows near, local organizations are gearing up to make sure less fortunate families also have full bellies.

Currently, Hilltop's Tandem Families is gathering items to fill Thanksgiving baskets for local families in need.

The baskets will be delivered to families on Tuesday, Nov. 24 by members of Montrose 4-H clubs. The baskets are filled with donations from Tandem Families and the community, according to a news release.

The hope is that Tandem Families can provide 20 baskets this year, with items ranging from turkey and stuffing, to desert items, such as pumpkin pie mix. Many businesses and employees have donated turkeys, and additional items are donated by Sharing Ministries Food Bank. However, the organization is still taking community donations.

To learn more about contributing to the Thanksgiving baskets, volunteering or to become a tandem family in Montrose, Delta or Ouray areas, call Charmayne Heiden at (970) 240-1087.

Tandem Families is a family-to-family mentoring program that serves vulnerable children and their families in Montrose, Delta and Ouray counties. They support families emotionally, socially and mentally, as well as provide them with a "tandem" family to mentor. As a result, the families receive an enhanced quality of life and learn how and where to utilize family resource. The goal is for families and children to say together,  reach self-sufficiency and be healthy.