Background
Blue Thanksgiving started small in 2013 as a way to show support to our local law enforcement community at a time when public sentiment was particularly low resulting from a period of negative national news stories. Founders, Kimberly and Douglas Hill decided to do something to show support to three police precincts in their area. Together they delivered home baked holiday treats
to officers. The following year, they increased their commitment to bringing Thanksgiving Day meals to workers at those same precincts on the holiday. When local businesses and individuals heard about the meal deliveries the following year, they joined forces to grow the project. With the help of many wonderful people, they are now serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to over 400 police officers and administrative staff working on the Holiday in Cobb County.
This effort, known as “Blue Thanksgiving,” has been a huge success, growing larger every year. But while the Thanksgiving Day project is their namesake, they have set their sights on providing additional support year-round with multiple campaigns, fundraising events, and community event participation. Now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Blue Thanksgiving, Inc. has also taken on other projects including providing meals to the North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force, National Night Out, The First Responders’ Conference, movie nights for officers, cook outs, and their largest undertaking yet, the “Blue Family Christmas” project.
Blue Family Christmas
When tragedies strike officers and their families such as major injuries, illness, and other life-altering events, Blue Thanksgiving is working to provide relief. They have helped officers experiencing brain, lung and pancreatic cancers, organ transplants, house fires and more. To fund this undertaking, they have created the annual Blue Family Christmas Gala.
“The Blue Christmas campaign and gala are nearest and dearest to my heart, and I spend more hours on these all year long than all our other projects,” says BT President Kim Hill. “Last year’s gala was an incredible experience at the Governor’s Gun Club in Kennesaw. Officers and guests enjoyed a beautiful formal event filled with music, gifts, a fabulous dinner, a huge silent auction, Father Christmas, dancing and even a live auction. We’ll be back again this year on December 14th and we hope you will join us.”
Opening a fund at the Cobb Community Foundation will allow Blue Thanksgiving volunteers to focus on spending their time supporting our local law enforcement and their families instead of administrative tasks required for tax donation records. You may contribute to the work Blue Thanksgiving is doing by donating here.
